Of Nexus and Nobles: A Mission of Great Importance
by LoryLynn1186
Summary: *coauthor with Lexi Lupin* When Colonel Gennevi Lassiter agreed to spend her month long medical leave on Ossus with Kyp, she had no idea her short vacation would be so….eventful. The 6th installment in Lexi Lupin's universe. AU K/OC, bits of H/L, L/M, J/J
1. Chapter 1

**Of Nexus and Nobles: ****A Mission of Great Importance  
>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Sadly I don't own Star Wars. I would be so much happier (and richer) if I did.  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Colonel Gennevi Lassiter agreed to spend her month long medical leave on Ossus with Kyp. She had no idea her short vacations would be so….eventful. AU K/OC, mentions of L/M, H/L, J/J  
><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Hey all! This little gem is the love child of LexiLupin and myself. This is the sixth installment of her wonderful AU. You can find the other five stories on her profile page. Now, without further ado...

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

It was snowing.

In the week since Gennevi Lassiter had arrived on Ossus with Kyp Durron and his daughter Leyla, the temperature had dropped from cold to colder; finally, on an afternoon that had begun with an eerie stillness in the air as low clouds settled over the Jedi temple, the first snowflakes had fallen and, by late afternoon, the grounds had a thorough dusting that was beautiful and easily admired from the top of the temple- which just so happened to be where Gennevi was standing.

And as she stood there, all but oblivious to the flakes clinging to her loose blonde hair and to her heavy cloak, it occurred to Gennevi that she had not seen it snow in a very long time.

At forty-two years old, Gennevi had spent more than half of her life in the cold darkness of space- a very different sort of cold from that which chilled the temple grounds. Parts of it were a blur, after almost a quarter-century- at eighteen, she'd enlisted the same year that the New Republic had signed a peace treaty with the remnants of the Empire; six years later, fresh out of her officer's basic training, the Yuuzhan Vong had begun the systematic devastation that they wrought over the galaxy in the ensuing five years.

At twenty-six, she'd been awarded her first command- a thorough and efficient starfighter squadron that segued into a new life for her, and she spent the next sixteen years in a constant state of forming, training, or perfecting other such units as the need arose- most recently, the six-month-old Trinity squadron attached to the flagship of the GA Fourth Fleet, Admiral Gavin Darklighter's _Trucemaker_.

And then two weeks ago, through her own stupidity, she'd suffered some internal ocular trauma that, while it did not affect her vision directly, potentially affected her ability to adequately perform in combat. This resulted in the granting of a month of medical leave, more for the time to think over her future than for any true recovery; because if one thing was certain, it was that her career was about to change drastically.

That explained, in the most general of senses, what Gennevi was doing on the planet Ossus, watching her first snowfall in some twenty-four or more years.

What it, perhaps, did _not_ explain was the giggling four-year-old boy who was trying- and failing utterly- to sneak up on her.

Humoring the, quite frankly, adorable Naviin Fel, she maintained her steadfast pose, well away from the edge of the roof, eyes darting about shiftily as she wondered who had brought the toddler up here. She could guess easily enough _why_ though- if she was this enthused to see and feel the snowfall, then surely the mind of so young a child would be doubly enthralled.

With a last little leap and an impressive imitation of a growl, the toddler attacked her legs and she gave an exaggerated shriek and leapt backwards, before turning to see the scene being regarded wryly by Naviin's older half-sister, Leyla. Looking back around and down at the young boy, she smiled easily as she took in his bundled form, his pink cheeks and nose, and the bright hazel eyes that were the only parts of his form not swathed in a coat, gloves, and hat.

"Well aren't you just a ferocious beast?" she asked, grinning.

"I'm a nexu!" he declared proudly.

Her face fell. "Oh, dear. Then I suppose I don't have much chance of surviving this attack, do I?"

"Nope!" he smiled broadly up at her as his hat slipped down over his eyes. "I already hunted Leelee."

The girl in question came alongside Gennevi and just shook her head. "So you did."

"And what are you?" Gennevi asked dryly. "An eopie, perhaps?"

Leyla turned and fixed her with a serious, even stare. "A Jedi."

She snorted with laughter. "Well then- if a _Jedi_ can't fend off this fearsome nexu, then I surely have no chance whatsoever."

"No, no," Leyla assured her, "you might still have a chance- if only our Jedi Master nexu-hunter would get here to _save the day_…" she called the last three words a bit louder and then paused, eyes shifting around until she smirked down at her little brother. "You're in for it now, Navi."

He shrieked and darted to her, clinging to her legs, moments before Kyp came swaggering confidently across the rooftop. "You seem to have lost your apprentice," Gennevi informed him dryly.

"A useless thing, if she can't even defend herself properly against the creature!" he declared, sidling behind Gennevi to go around Leyla, even as Naviin circled Leyla's legs in an effort to remain shielded from him. With a speedy dive though, Kyp snagged his arm, Naviin shrieked- and then they both tumbled to the rooftop as Kyp slipped on a wet patch of melted snow.

Laughing triumphantly, Naviin clambered up to sit on Kyp's chest and crossed his arms. "I win." He paused. "And you have snow in your hair."

The downed Jedi Master reached out and tweaked his little pink nose. "And _you_, my fearsome little creature, are going to get so frostbitten that I have to amputate your nose with my lightsaber. Or perhaps Leyla could do it, she needs some practice…"

With a squeak, Naviin shot up, but Leyla snagged him before he could take off, even as Kyp got to his feet again. "Come on, you," she straightened his hat and pulled it back down over his ears. "I promised I'd have you dried and warmed up again before dinner."

"But it's still snowing!" he protested, sticking out his tongue and squinting his eyes as he tilted his head back in an effort to catch a flake.

"And even the most vicious of nexus must eat their dinner," Leyla said firmly. "Come on- you can tell dad all about how you took down both a Jedi and her Master in one hunt."

"Didn't get Evi," he scowled and narrowed his eyes up at the highly amused colonel.

Kyp grinned charmingly down at him. "Then I guess she wins this one. Maybe tomorrow, Navi."

"Fine," he grumbled. "I can practice pouncing tonight."

Before they walked away, Kyp leaned down closer to Leyla's ear. "_You_ go get warmed up yourself," he murmured with a hint of sternness. "You're technically still on the mend, don't go getting yourself sick." She rolled her eyes, though the act lacked any real annoyance. "Now go on, before Naviin forgets about his concession to actually go inside."

She laughed and did as told, leaving Kyp and Gennevi standing alone on top of the temple- which, judging from the mischievous smirk on his face, had been Kyp's design the whole time. "You know," he schooled his expression to one of utter seriousness, "if I'm to have a chance in tomorrow's hunt, I should probably do some practicing of my own tonight…"

"Oh?" she fixed him with a calculating look. "Shall I be the damsel in distress and you'll be the Jedi Master, rescuing me from all manner of evil attackers? The Great Kyp Durron: ladies' man, man's man, man about the galaxy."

His eyes twinkled. " Hardly. I thought that you'd be the damsel in distress, and I'd be the nexu pouncing on you."

"Ah- I see. I'm not entirely sure what benefit _I'm_ to gain from that little scenario, my dear Master Durron."

He stalked towards her in a remarkably predator-like fashion. "I'm sure you'll come up with something."

And he seized her and pulled her to him, crushing his mouth to hers and warming her cold lips with his warmer ones- and sending a little warming tingle through her that had nothing to do with the weather. His gloved hands cupped her face gently, warming her cheeks even as snow continued to fall and dampen her hair. A vague part of her mind- the practical part, she supposed- wondered if there weren't dozens of places better suited for this; either of their quarters in the temple below came immediately to mind.

But it was snowing and beautiful outside, and it'd been so long since she'd seen snow falling, and even swathed in weather-appropriate heavy cloak, boots, and gloves, with snowflakes decorating his hair and the tip of his nose before they melted, there was something about Kyp that was just so…

"Kyp?"

She started and jerked away; at the same moment, he turned slowly and growled low his throat before asking in a deadly calm and controlled voice, "Yes, Mara?"

Based upon the mischievous glint in the older woman's eyes, she knew _exactly_ what she'd interrupted even before she'd walked out onto the roof from the exit on the side opposite that in which Leyla and Naviin had just departed.

"Just wondered if you'd seen Leyla and Naviin- Jaina's looking for them."

"They went," he pointed, maintaining the same tone, "that way. As I suspect you were full well-aware."

Mara Jade Skywalker's answering smirk fully nullified the affected innocence in her eyes. "Thanks," she smiled sweetly, and headed across to the other door. "Oh- hi, Gennevi," she said as she walked past, as if she hadn't seen her before now, "enjoying the weather?"

"I think I was about to," she murmured softly.

Mara's grin widened, her sharp green eyes dancing merrily even as Kyp went a wonderful shade of red that was only partially due to the cold air. "By all means then," she called as she went through the other door, "carry on."

"Thanks," Kyp muttered sarcastically, though the red-haired woman was well out of ear-shot. "Now," he did a quick probe in the Force to check for other such ambushes before deeming it safe and seizing Gennevi once more. "Where were we?"

Once the cold on the temple's rooftop became too much to bear, regardless of how much blood flow other activities encouraged, Kyp and Gennevi retreated into the warmth of the building. As soon as the heat of the building began to warm her skin, Gennevi realized that she was hungry; in fact she was near starving. It was interesting how such basic needs were neglected when there were other, more primal considerations to take in to account. Surely she wasn't the only woman who got a little distracted when there was a hot-blooded male body pressed against her own. Especially when said body came with a pair of the most talented lips she had had the pleasure of experiencing as of late. But now those lips were gone and her body was screaming at her for food.

"The dining hall shouldn't be too crowded yet," Kyp informed her as they approached the turbolift that would take them down several floors to the dining hall and other common areas.

"Are you reading my thoughts, Master Durron?" Gennevi asked.

Kyp turned to her, brandishing an innocent smile. "Would I do such a thing?" Gennevi merely raised an eyebrow in silent retort. "Okay, so maybe I would, but only when necessary. And actually I wasn't snooping, you were projecting." Leaning his face down so his lips were a mere breath away from her ear, Kyp whispered, "Hunger wasn't the only emotion you were projecting."

And shavit there was that annoying blush racing up her neck to color her cheeks. Luckily, should anyone notice and have the gall to comment on such, she could easily blame her coloring on a recent change in temperature.

"Is that so?" She felt Kyp's breath against her neck as he agreed. And suddenly his hands were on her hips, pressing her body back against the duracrete wall, as his lips crashed to hers. Gennevi's hands, now sans gloves, cupped his face and traced the Jedi Master's strong cheekbones. It took a great deal of resolve, honed over years of military service and a lifetime of difficult choices, to not wrap her legs around Kyp's frame. After all they were still in a very public place and frankly being interrupted once today had been more than enough.

"Kyp." The word came out as more of a moan than anything else, which prompted the man in question to continue his assault on her neck while one hand drifted to her backside, pulling their bodies even closer.

"Kyp…stop." The second his lips left her skin, Gennevi missed them.

"Stop? Gotta admit that wasn't what I was expecting to hear," he grinned breathlessly. He could feel the lust rolling off her in waves, yet she was stopping them; it just didn't make sense.

"I hate to say it," Gennevi admitted, "but we are in the middle of a hallway here. And after Mara…"

"Say no more," Kyp sighed. Reluctantly he pulled himself away and took a deep breath to calm his racing pulse. _'There is only so much __that__ relaxation techniques can __accomplish__,'_ he thought wryly. "You want to head down to the dining hall now?"

Gennevi pushed herself off the wall and grabbed Kyp's arm. "No."

"No?" Gennevi nodded, confusing Kyp even further. "All right…I'm lost. You're not hungry anymore?"

"Oh I'm hungry." If she wasn't so serious at the moment, Gennevi would have laughed at the exasperated look on Kyp's face. Instead of explaining, she ran her hands slowly down his chest until she hit the stiff fabric of his utility belt. Grabbing the belt and using it to tug his body against hers, Gennevi stood on her toes to bring her mouth to his ear. "I'm just not hungry for food, Kyp."

Kyp's smile could only be described as victorious. "I think I can help with that."

The trek from the turbolift to Kyp's temporary quarters had never taken longer; even if it was barely a minute later when the pair stumbled through the door. It scarcely had time to close behind them before Gennevi's back was pressed against it as Kyp's lips attacked her own. While his lips were otherwise occupied, Kyp's hands set to work removing her coat, pushing the garment off her shoulders and allowing Gennevi to shrug out of it. Kyp's cloak soon followed as well as his tunic and Gennevi's top and pants. When her back touched the door the second time, her body clad only in her undergarments, a chill ran up Gennevi's spine.

"Ugh…cold," she mumbled between heated kisses. "Bed…now."

Kyp nodded in agreement and with a quick move picked Gennevi, and nearly ran across the small sitting area toward the bedroom. He deposited her on his bed and crawled in beside her. The pair took up their favorite position, lying on their sides facing one another, their bodies close but not touching. They'd spent numerous nights in this position before, talking and kissing until they fell asleep. It wasn't new territory, but at the same time it was since both were certain that tonight held more in store than shared secrets and stolen kisses.

"This is stupid," Gennevi chuckled after a long silence spent staring at the man across from her. "We're acting like a pair of teenagers, scared out of our minds."

Kyp kissed her. "I am scared out of my mind."

"Why?"

"Because I care about you…a lot, and I don't want to screw this up."

His eyes bore into hers and in that moment Gennevi knew that she was falling hard for Kyp Durron. He had found a way to fill a hole that she didn't know existed and it scared her just how right everything felt. In her experience that's usually when things fell apart, because when you were content was when the universe decided to shake things up.

"Hey," Kyp hissed, "don't think that way."

"What did I tell you about reading my thoughts?" she asked, pulling Kyp against her. The kiss was meant to be chaste, but soon took on a life of its own.

Kyp's hands pushed the straps of Gennevi's bra down her arms leaving trails of goose bumps in their wake. As soon as the hindrance was removed his hands were on her, ghosting over her ribs and cupping her breasts. His kisses moved from her mouth across her jaw and down her neck before settling on her collar bone. Gennevi shivered as he found the sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder met, which of course Kyp noticed and exploited.

Not being one to take things lying down, Gennevi bent her knee, shifted her weight, and quickly moved herself on top of Kyp. At his questioning look, she shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "I couldn't let you have all the fun."

The now stunned Jedi Master stared up at her with a look of amusement, surprise, and incredible desire. His hands slid up her thighs, fingers skimming the soft material of her underwear before hooking his fingertips in the waistband. He started to pull the garment down when Gennevi's hands wrapped around his wrists.

"Not so fast," her voice was a husky whisper, "my turn." Leaning forward, Gennevi pinned Kyp's hands above his head, gasping when he seized the opportunity to wrap his lips around her nipple. With a loud moan and great unwillingness, she pulled his mouth away and kissed his lips. Her lips continued down his chest, placing soft loving kisses across his broad chest, down to his hip bones until the fabric of his boxers stopped her progress. Gennevi made quick work of the garment, tossing it aside, before seizing her prize.

"Sweet Force," Kyp growled the second Gennevi's hand wrapped around him. He knew he wouldn't last long as riled up as he was, so he stopped her ministrations after a few minutes. He pulled her upward, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing each finger in turn. Kyp shifted his weight, pressing Gennevi onto her back and coming to hover over her. He kissed her lips as he slid her last remaining piece of clothing from her and added it to the ever growing pile strewn across the floor. His eyes took in the sight before him. "Absolutely beautiful." A faint blush rose to the colonel's cheeks before she could will it away. "I want you so much, Gennevi."

"You have me, Kyp. Take me."

Kyp's fingers teased her folds, finding her more than ready, but he was unwilling to let such an opportunity pass. He pushed a finger inside her while his thumb sought out her clit. Her entire body trembled at the sensation, spurring Kyp on. He added a second finger and continued pumping them inside her.

"Kyp," Gennevi growled. "For the love of all things sacred!" She gasped and moaned as his finger flicked across the bundle of nerves. "Foreplay is great but…I need you. Please!"

Kyp smiled and kissed her as he settled himself between her legs. His mouth was securely latched over hers as he slid within her. His body remained stock still for a few seconds, enjoying the new sensations, before setting a slow and deliberate pace, her body welcoming his time and time again.

"Kyp," Gennevi groaned, thanking the Force or whatever deity was listening that the visitor's wing was nearly deserted as her cries rose in volume. "Gods, Kyp."

"You," he grunted, "are …amazing." Kyp's pace picked up quickly. He knew that he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer and instead focused on bringing his partner into bliss with him. A change in the angle of his thrusts earned Kyp a loud groan and what he assumed to be a string of curses in a language he didn't understand.

Her hands gripped Kyp's shoulders as their bodies moved together. The temperature in the room had risen noticeably and both Kyp and Gennevi wore a thin veil of sweat from their lovemaking. She could feel her muscles tightening throughout her body and she knew her orgasm was fast approaching.

Kyp felt it as well. "Close?" he rasped.

Gennevi nodded, not trusting her ability to speak at the moment. "Want you…with me," she managed to get out.

"I am," he promised, increasing the speed of his thrusts. Kyp knew he wouldn't be able to last much longer. He hadn't been with a woman in…longer than he cared to think about at the moment. When Gennevi threw her head back and cried out his name, Kyp nearly lost it. He changed his motion, pushing deeper and deeper into her body. Gennevi whispered softly in his ear and Kyp felt his toes curl. All of his muscles tensed before he shuddered in release. Rapid movements slowed and eventually stopped before he rolled onto his back, pulling Gennevi with him.

Kyp's rapid heartbeat pounded in Gennevi's ear as her head lay on his chest. Her hand rested against his ribs, fingers tracing unseen patterns on his skin. A deep sigh drew her attention. "You okay?" she panted.

"Never better."

Raising her head, Gennevi looked at him with a lopsided grin. "Your heart's beating pretty fast. Sure you're not going to have a heart attack on me?"

Kyp laughed. "I'm sure. My pulse tends to race when I have a beautiful woman in my arms."

"And the fact that said woman is naked and pressed against you?"

"That might have an impact." He captured her lips in a soft kiss before the comfortable silence took over. Kyp's hand tangled itself in Gennevi's loose curls, twisting a stray piece between his fingers. "You know…I'm still pretty hungry."

Gennevi laughed. "Typical man: always thinking about food. Do you want to head down to the dining hall?"

"In a bit," he said. "I just want to lay here for a while."

Gennevi smiled and laid her head back on Kyp's chest. "I'm okay with that."

X-X-X-X

By the time Naviin finished his long and rambling tale of his afternoon playing in the snow and mauling whatever unfortunate passersby fell victim to his nexu impersonations, Jag was nodding and smiling indulgently while shooting furtive, bemused glances at Jaina periodically. Leyla was looking mildly wearied, quite possibly due to the exhaustion of chasing after her little brother all afternoon.

"Eat your tarsh, Navi," Jaina eyed him sternly, "it's going to get cold."

He obediently put a huge spoonful into his mouth, chewed intently for a long minute, then swallowed with effort… and then continued telling his story.

"And then we found Evi on the roof, but Kyp saved her before I could finish staking-"

"Stalking," Leyla murmured correctively.

"-stalking her," Naviin continued without missing a beat, "but then he fell down so I won, and Leelee said we had to come back inside before I could stalk Evi again."

Jaina smiled as Naviin gave a practice growl, and then attacked his tarsh with a renewed vigor. "You forget how fun babysitting could be?" she asked Leyla teasingly.

"He didn't used to wear me out so much," she murmured back softly.

Her mother's smile broadened a bit mischievously. "Well, we get to turn the tables a bit tomorrow- Kyp's offered to watch him for a couple hours while we're all busy- _yes_, you have to go to lessons, you can't just sit around doing _nothing_ while you're here- so it'll be fun to see just how well he keeps up with a four-year-old. After all, Kyp isn't getting any younger…"

Leyla blinked and looked away, thinking, her memory jogged of a conversation from a month prior.

"_You aren't old._"

"_Leyla, I'm going to be _fifty_ in a matter of weeks_."

Well, it had certainly been a matter of weeks- about six- and Kyp hadn't mentioned turning fifty. Then again, as Leyla thought about it, she couldn't remember _ever_ noting one of his birthdays; in fact, the more she thought about it… it seemed like it was a subject he'd almost… _avoided_ in the past.

With a wry smirk, she supposed then that it was his bad luck for bringing this one up.

"Mom," she said quietly a few minutes later as Jag went about clearing the table after freeing Naviin from his booster chair, "do you know when Kyp's birthday is?"

Jaina frowned thoughtfully, then pursed her lips and shook her head. "I really don't, I'm sorry. Why, does he have one coming up?"

Leyla shrugged. "He mentioned in passing that it would be soon, but that was about a month ago- but you do realize how old he'll be turning this year, right?"

The frown faded off of Jaina's face- and was immediately replaced by a wicked grin.

"Fifty?"

"Fifty."

The scheming and plotting were already well underway before either of them went to bed that night.

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><p><strong>Well, what do you think? Be sure to review and let us know!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Of Nexus and Nobles: ****A Mission of Great Importance  
>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Sadly I don't own Star Wars. I would be so much happier (and richer) if I did.  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Colonel Gennevi Lassiter agreed to spend her month long medical leave on Ossus with Kyp. She had no idea her short vacations would be so….eventful. AU K/OC, mentions of L/M, H/L, J/J

_A/N: I'm reposting this chapter since there seemed to be some weird formatting thing going on here. It should be all fixed now!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Less than a minute after Luke stood from the table where he'd been enjoying a quiet early breakfast with Mara to go and speak with Kam and Tionne about the day's lessons, Leyla slid smoothly into his abandoned seat- and the look on her face was one of pure mischief.

Mara wholly approved.

Several seconds later, Jaina took up the seat across from them, and then twisted around to pull Naviin up into her lap so that he could reach the height of the table to eat the bowl of food Leyla had already set in front of him.

"So, what are we scheming?" the older woman asked shrewdly, eyes bouncing between her niece and her great-niece, with an occasional glance downwards at Naviin who was attacking his breakfast with fervor and apparently paying them no mind.

Jaina's eyes widened innocently; Leyla didn't even bother to pretend. "We need your help."

"Strangely enough, I was picking up on that already," she informed her dryly. "With what?"

"We need to break into Uncle Luke's office, hack into his computer, and pull up some personnel files."

A single brow rose skeptically. "Oh- is that all?"

Jaina and Leyla exchanged a glance, paused, then shrugged in unison. "More or less," Jaina murmured across the table. "Ideally, we'd need this done quickly and quietly, so I hope those files aren't overly encrypted or anything."

"Yes, you might lose a bit of discretion if you have to call in Ghent just to retrieve a bit of blackmail against someone in the Order," Mara quipped sardonically.

"Not blackmail!" Leyla protested. "Just… well…" she glanced around and lowered her voice to just above a whisper. "We need to know when my father's birthday is."

Mara stared. "Kyp?" she asked incredulously. They shushed her and looked around anxiously, but the tables directly around them were nearly emptied already of students. "Why don't you just ask him?"

"Because in the thirty-two years I've known him," Jaina deadpanned, "he's never volunteered the information, which leads me to believe that he'll be, ah… less than forthcoming, if asked directly."

Her aunt's lips quirked. "Maybe you could ask Gennevi to find out for you; something tells me that he would find her very… persuasive."

Leyla cringed. "Please, just… stop."

Jaina smirked at her daughter. "That reminds me- you and I are due for a little conversation, aren't we…?"

The speed at which Leyla's face turned bright pink was impressive. Mara, however, spoke up before she could splutter appropriately scandalized words. "Are we really?" her great-aunt asked with great interest. "About what? Can I watch?"

Leyla's head hit the table with a loud _thunk_.

"Should I bring snacks?"

Her head remained firmly planted on the table, though they could barely hear her muttering incomprehensibly under her breath.

Jaina smiled wickedly before schooling her expression and turning to face Mara again. "Aunt Mara, you don't understand the importance of this request. First of all, we have good reason to think that his birthday is coming up _very_ soon; more importantly though… Mara, don't you realize how _old_ Kyp is this year?"

"Well, you're thirty-four and he's obscenely older than _you_…"

"Mara…" she growled.

"Fine, fine." She stopped and thought, and they could see the wheels turning in her head before the slow grin began to spread across her face. "Oh, I've got it now- I'm in."

Naviin continued studiously eating his breakfast.

X-X-X-X

Everything seemed perfectly calm, quiet, and peaceful, which was the first sign for Luke Skywalker that mischief was afoot. Of course, part of that realization was due to the fact that he could sense the wicked glee in his wife's aura long before he reached his office that afternoon after his lecture; the giddy delight emanating from his niece and great-niece didn't particularly help matters in that regard either. But the cool stone corridors of the temple were so tranquil, and the cold grounds beyond so charmingly beautiful with the rare covering of snow they had received yesterday…

Naturally, it would be at such a time that his wife and nieces were instigating trouble.

Mara was keeping enough of her mischievous delight under wraps that he couldn't be sure precisely what they were up to- but they were in his office, all three of them along with Naviin, and he shuddered to think what sorts of tomfoolery they might be planning or committing in there, and what sort of trap he might be walking into. Ever so briefly, he pondered just turning around and walking the other direction, and facing his wife later and in a location of his choosing.

And then it occurred to him that he was being a trifle overly paranoid. Though with Mara for a wife… and Ben for a son… and Han for a brother-in-law… and Jacen for a nephew… and- well, the list went on- but being paranoid wasn't such a bad thing in his family. Taking a deep breath and steeling himself for the worst, he reached out and depressed the release panel for the door, and it slid open with an ominous silence…

… to reveal Mara sitting behind the desk, her hands clasped in front of her as she leaned over to speak in low, serious tones with Jaina and Leyla, who were nodding and murmuring some acknowledgement of whatever she'd said. Naviin sat cross-legged in a chair against one wall, a stuffed murra resting in his lap as he smiled broadly up at him.

"Uncle Luke!" he scrambled down from the chair- sitting the murra in his place- and held his arms out for Luke to pick him up, which he did, smiling bemusedly. "We're scheming!"

Jaina sighed in exasperation while Leyla's shoulders slumped defeatedly; Mara just burst out laughing. "Don't worry, Farmboy," she winked at him, "you aren't involved."

He gave her a skeptical look as he tousled Naviin's brown hair. "I'll have you know, ladies, that I wasn't fooled for a moment."

"Fooled about what?" Jaina blinked up at him, eyes wide and innocent.

"Uh-huh," he said pointedly. "Are you done with my office yet?"

"No."

It was Mara who answered, and her evil smirk told him that it was probably best if he distanced himself from whatever scheme was brewing here. "Do I want to know?" he sighed.

"Nope."

"You know you have a lesson in…" he checked his chrono, "fifteen minutes?" He frowned down at Jaina and Leyla. "For that matter, don't you _all_ have places to be soon?" Naviin nodded enthusiastically. "Oh?" Luke grinned easily at him. "And just what vital mission do you have today, Navi? I hear you were quite the predator yesterday."

His answering smile was wide- and short a tooth, Luke noted. "I get to stay with Kyp until daddy's done working," he declared excitedly. "And he said that Gen- Geni-" he frowned and pursed his lips. "He said that Evi might come too."

"Tell you what," Luke set him down on the floor and knelt down to his eye-level, "how about I'll take you down to meet Kyp, and we can leave these crazy ladies to their scheming?" Naviin giggled and glanced at his mother questioningly.

She smiled ruefully. "Come here," she hoisted him up into her lap to hug him. "You be good for Kyp, alright? Listen to him and Gennevi, and stay out of trouble." He gave her a smacking kiss on one cheek and then the other. "Daddy will come get you in a couple of hours before dinner."

"Okay," he slid back to the ground and seized the stuffed murra, and held out his free hand for Luke, who reached down and took it lightly in his. "Bye Leelee, bye Aunt Mara." They wished him farewell, gave parting smiles laden with promises of sly trickery to Luke, and went back to the matter at hand- pulling up the files on Kyp; but not before they could hear Naviin murmur, as the door slid shut, "_Crazy ladies…_"

Luke's bark of laughter could be heard through the closed door.

X-X-X-X

Luke caught up with Kyp and Gennevi as the pair was strolling through the Temple's garden area. He watched them for a moment, noting how at ease Kyp was with the woman, how their hands hung between them with their fingers intertwined tightly. It had been some time since

Luke had sensed this sort of happiness from his onetime apprentice.

"Kyp!" Naviin yelled as he raced across the stone walk, dodging a few low branches from a sirpar tree, and flung himself into the Jedi Master's arms.

Kyp picked the boy up and swung him into his arms. "There's my ferocious nexu! Have you been stalking today?"

Naviin shook his head. "Not a nexu today."

"What are you today then?" Gennevi asked.

"Just me."

Kyp and Gennevi laughed as Luke joined the group. "Personally I'm glad there isn't a dangerous nexu roaming around the academy." He ruffled the boy's hair again before turning to Kyp's companion. "So Gennevi, are you enjoying your stay on planet?"

"Very much so. Thank you again for allowing me stay at the Academy, Master Skywalker."

Luke dismissed her thanks with a wave of his hand. "Please, call me Luke. It's our pleasure to have you here. Anyone who can put up with fighter jocks for as long as you have is a hero in my eyes."

Gennevi laughed softly. "It has its moments."

"That it does," Luke concurred with just a hint of nostalgia. "I should be going. There are reports to be filed and schedules to keep; all the fun things about running the academy." He and Kyp shared a nod before Luke turned and headed back toward his office, hoping that the girls had since vacated it.

"So, what shall we do today?" Kyp asked.

"Let's go play in the snow!" Naviin shouted excitedly.

"Sounds good to me," Kyp said. "How about you?" He leveled her with a mischievous grin that made Gennevi wonder just what he had up his sleeve.

"Sure," she said cautiously, "let's go."

Naviin wiggled out of Kyp's arms and took off for the exit, the adults following in his lead, their hands finding each other and fingers intertwining again.

Several impromptu snowball fights took place on the walk back to the Solo-Fel homestead, most of which Naviin ended up winning. It was during one of these fights that Gennevi learned not to underestimate Force users. They played dirty. While she was crouched behind a tree prepping her ammo for an attack, one of the branches above her shook from a nonexistent wind, dumping a large amount of snow onto her head. Overcoming the shock of handfuls of melting snow running down her neck, she looked up to see Kyp grinning like a madman.

"That wasn't very nice, Durron!"

"Why Colonel, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Gennevi was shaking the snow out of her hair and cloak when Kyp's comlink began beeping. He took the small device out of his pocket to answer it. Gennevi had no idea who was on the other end, but with each passing moment Kyp's smile faltered and disappeared until he put the comlink away.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he lied. "Come on, Navi, we need to get inside now. I don't know about you guys but I am freezing."

Naviin trudged ahead of the adults and broke into a sprint as they neared the house, finally bursting through the door. He dropped his boots and cloak near the door before disappearing into his bedroom. Gennevi shook her head as she picked up the cloak and hung it up next to Kyp's beside the door. She shrugged out of her own and hung it up as well.

"Now are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Kyp began to speak when his comlink began buzzing. Cursing the little device, he thumbed it on. "Durron…yeah…alright…I'll be right there." He thumbed it off and slid it back into his pocket. "I have to go."

"What do you mean you have to go?"

Kyp sighed, grabbing his cloak off the hook and pulling it back on. "There's a Masters' Council meeting that I need to attend. Hopefully it will be over quickly." He knew that was a blatant lie; council meetings were never over quickly, not when certain members decided to argue and debate every single detail of whatever issue or mission they were discussing at the moment.

"And you want me to watch Naviin?" Gennevi surmised. Spending time with Kyp and the young boy was one thing, but being left alone with him was a different smashball game altogether.

Kyp nodded, pulling on his gloves. He had just begun to warm from being outside and now he was being forced back out into it. "Just for an hour or so. Please, Gennevi."

She wanted to say no, to suggest someone else to watch the boy, but Leyla was in class and Jag was working. The only other people on Ossus that Gennevi had any sort of regular interaction with were Luke and Mara Jade- Skywalker, and surely the two Masters would also be required to attend the meeting. With a deep sigh, Colonel Gennevi Lassiter succumbed to her fate. "Fine."

Kyp's smile conveyed his utter relief. He cupped Gennevi's cheek, pressing his lips to hers in a fast, hard kiss. "I owe you."

"I like the sound of that," she whispered.

With an evil grin, Kyp shoved his hands into his pockets and left. Gennevi watched as he trekked back through the snow toward the Temple. Looking around the small home she had entered only moments before, she took the time to examine a few holos that decorated the walls. Most were of the children: Leyla showing off a broad grin with a prominent front tooth missing; Leyla holding baby Naviin shortly after his birth; and a few of the entire family. Gennevi took a moment to admire a holo of Jaina and Jag on their wedding day before another holo caught her eye. In it Kyp sat on the ground with a young Naviin in his lap and Leyla sitting on the ground next to them. In Kyp's hand was a model Stealth fighter which was in the middle of performing a rather intricate maneuver. It wasn't the ship that caught Gennevi's eye, but rather the smile on Kyp's face. He looked so carefree, so full of life, so…happy.

"Evi?"

"Yeah?"

Naviin stood in the doorway that separated the living room from the kitchen looking at her with wide eyes. "Kyp left?"

"Yeah Naviin," Gennevi said in what she hoped was a cheerful voice. "Kyp had to go to a meeting, so it's just you and me for now."

The young boy studied her for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and stating simply, "I know." He walked past her and climbed onto the sofa. Settling in against the throw pillows situated there, Naviin looked up at her expectantly. "Now what?"

_'Now what indeed…'_

X-X-X-X

Ten minutes into the Council meeting, Kyp was doing his best to avoid sending a mental eye-roll in the direction of Luke Skywalker. For an unscheduled meeting, he'd expected some manner of galactic crisis on a sizeable scale- or at least the usual intrigue in the political spectrum. However, despite Leia Organa Solo's presence- which often suggested some political matter with which she was playing liaison- they'd done little but talk about mundane and routine things.

He grew a little more interested when Vulcor, the only other non-Master present, spoke up to relay the current situation with the Confederation in the Corellian system.

"The situation on Corellia is largely defused; the Confederation lost much of its momentum following the events of two weeks ago, and many forces have disbanded and returned to their home worlds." He hesitated. "We are not wholly sure of the cause of this, though we suspect it has to do in some part with Corellian Head of State Sal-Solo. As you all know, Sal-Solo was suspected of complicity in the instigative actions of the Confederation; however, in the past two weeks, he seems to have abandoned his underhanded tactics, has assisted in establishing open negotiations between the Corellian leaders and those of the Confederation, and has ended his campaign to succeed Aidel Saxan as Five Words Prime Minister- the post will go to Denjax Teppler."

Kenth Hamner, who served as a liaison between the military council and the Jedi, nodded his agreement. "I received a report from Admiral Bwua'tu's camp today; they agree that the Confederation is disarming and are tentatively considering the matter resolved. They were a bit uneasy with the suddenness of Sal-Solo's decision, however," he eyed Vulcor curiously. "The abrupt manner in which he ceased his bid for power greatly contradicts- well- everything we expected of him."

The Chandrilan Jedi Master, Octa Ramis, arched a brow in Kyp's direction. "Master Durron, you were heavily involved in the goings-on on Corellia- have _you_ any indication of what might have spurred Sal-Solo's change of heart?"

He met her gaze steadily and spoke evenly. "I haven't the slightest clue, Octa."

Her lips quirked and, though she had already been gone by the time it happened, he knew that she suspected something of the threats he and Jaina had made to Thrackan Sal-Solo before departing the system.

The rest of them put in their two cents on the matter- none of them coming remotely close to the truth of it, which was that Jaina and Kyp had blackmailed Sal-Solo by threatening to investigate his involvement in Prime Minister Saxan's death, plus a more personal threat from Kyp with a vague hint of what lay in store if he ever had any part in harming any of Jaina's immediate or extended family again.

When Leia spoke up next, Kyp realized he'd been off in his assessment; she _was _there to represent a political conflict, but not on behalf of the Senate or the chief of state.

"Leia," Luke smiled at the hologram of his twin sister, "I believe you have an issue to address?"

"Thank you, Luke," she spoke gracefully as always. "This issue, while perhaps not a matter of great galactic concern, is somewhat close to my heart.

"There is a small planet by the name of Velmor which lies roughly midway between the Parlemian Trade Route and the Daragon Trail, in the Halori Sector. With a population under a million, Velmor has remained unnoticed by most of the rest of the galaxy. However, Luke and I made the acquaintance of their ruler, King Denid, some forty years ago and, after assisting him in claiming his rightful throne, he facilitated the establishment of a colony of Alderaanian survivors on Velmor.

"Denid contacted me several days ago for the first time in decades to ask if I might speak with the Jedi and request their assistance in a matter of state." She took a deep breath and Kyp read a somber sadness in her eyes. "Denid is dying," she murmured softly, "and he desires nothing more than to see the peaceful transition of power in his wake. There is, however, a question of succession- having no son, the throne would traditionally go to the family into which the eldest daughter is married. However, this matter has been contested by the heads of another noble family- that into which his second daughter is married. They feel that, as they are of higher nobility, the second daughter should precede the first in the succession order."

This was starting to make Kyp's head hurt.

Leia smiled apologetically. "According to Denid, the daughters themselves are quite fed up with the whole matter, but… well, with the prospect of seeing their respective lines become the next succession of rulers, their husbands' families have grown unmanageable in their bids for power. Velmor is a peaceful place," she added earnestly, "and a long-lasting conflict of this magnitude could damage much of the moral foundation of which the culture was built. A civil war would destroy it utterly."

He understood the seriousness of the situation- even if it was a local matter- and he understood Leia's earnest interest in the matter. Velmor sounded a lot like Alderaan, from what Kyp knew of that peaceful planet, and given the survivors' colony, Leia had an even greater attachment to the planet than she probably realized.

But that didn't make the idea of spending a couple weeks embroiled in the conflict of feuding noble families appealing.

Happily, the chev Jedi Master, Tresina Lobi, spoke up. "My former apprentice, Pei Doosna, dealt with a similar situation on Onderon last year. I can speak with him tomorrow about undertaking this mission, Jedi Organa Solo."

Leia smiled sincerely. "You have the gratitude of myself and of King Denid, Master Lobi, as does Jedi Doosna. Thank you."

Luke nodded his thanks towards Lobi and gave his sister a small smile, before his expression turned a bit tense. "This last topic of discussion is the main reason I wanted to speak with you all today. I am loathe to call this an emergency because the fact of the matter is, we don't have enough facts to call it much of anything- but I have two missing Jedi."

A startled silence lasted for about ten seconds. "Who?" Kyle Katarn frowned.

Luke bit his lip. "Zekk and Tahlia."

In the second startled silence that followed, Kyp stared at Luke in confusion. Of all the Jedi to simply disappear…

"What _do_ we know?" Corran asked, his analytical mind going quickly to work. Luke gestured up towards the display screen, and they all turned to it for the first time since arriving.

"Zekk and Tahlia were part of a recent initiative begun by this council to establish relations with other known Force-using cultures in the galaxy. We sent emissaries to the Aing-Tii in the Kathol Rift, to the Fallanassi on Pydyr- and Zekk and Tahlia to Dorin to contact the Baran Do.

"They did so," he continued heavily. "The Baran Do weren't, perhaps, eager hosts, but they visited civilly and have at least laid the foundation for future relations." He paused. "They left Dorin three weeks ago; I received a message at that time that they were postponing their return to Coruscant to investigate Tibanna piracy in Kril'dor- and I haven't heard from them since.

"Zekk and Tahlia work well together, and they work well when acting on their own initiative," Luke continued with a trace of wry humor in his voice. "Normally, this sudden absence would not alarm me, and I _am_ confident that both are alive and well- but given the location of their disappearance…" he trailed away and Kyp frowned, confused.

But as he studied the map, focused on the space between Dorin and Kril'dor, as he glanced at the surrounding systems and political lines…

"They're right on the edge of Chiss space," he breathed.

Luke nodded a bit glumly. "As some of you are aware, Zekk and Tahlia were instrumental in finding and retrieving Jag and Soontir Fel, as well as Aristocra Formbi, from captivity in the estate of a syndic in the Ascendancy. To the best of my knowledge, their involvement was never known to the Chiss, and Formbi swore secrecy- but the syndic _did _disappear and has remained a loose end for the last four years."

Vulcor spoke up a bit unsurely. "Master Skywalker, for whatever it's worth- I probably know Tahlia better than any of you, and from what I can sense of her, she _is_ safe. I don't think they're in any immediate danger."

Sighing and running a hand through his hair, Luke nodded. "I trust that I would be able to ascertain if Zekk were in trouble, and I'm confident that either Jaina or Jacen could do so as well, and they've said nothing on the matter." With a shrug, he spoke resignedly. "They've had their reasons for going off-plan before; I'll just have to trust that they have a good one to do so this time."

X-X-X-X

"Are you and Kyp gonna get married?"

Gennevi's head snapped to attention so fast she could have sworn she heard bones crack. She looked at Naviin, sitting on the couch playing a game on a datapad. Her attention had been divided between the news playing in front of her and the giggling child sitting beside her. "W-why would you ask that?"

The four-year-old shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. Don't you love him?"

'_Well that's a loaded question_,' Gennevi thought wryly. She knew she did, at least she knew she was falling in love with Kyp Durron. Was she ready to admit that to other people? "I don't know Navi…maybe someday." Naviin nodded, accepting the somewhat obscure answer. Gennevi let out a quiet sigh and turned back to the news, hoping that this little game was over.

"When you and Kyp get married," apparently they weren't done playing yet, "will you have a baby?"

If Gennevi had been drinking at the moment, she was sure she would have choked. "Umm…well…" How was she supposed to answer that question? This was not part of her training! Dealing with cocky fighter pilots and overzealous superiors she could handle, but a four-year-old with more questions than a holo-reporter was not something she was trained for. "I don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"You should have a baby, that way I'll have someone to play with!" Naviin surmised. He watched her for another minute before his attention was turned back to the datapad. He played for a few more minutes before Gennevi noticed him yawning.

"I think it's about time for a nap, don't you?"

Naviin knit his eyebrows together. "Don't wanna take a nap. Naps are for babies."

Gennevi smiled at the display of stubbornness. This was definitely the child of Jaina Solo and Jagged Fel. "Are you sure? Because I take naps all the time, and I'm not a baby."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. I love naps."

Naviin seemed to weigh the options before nodding slowly. "Okay, I guess. Will you tell me a story?"

"Um…sure." Before the colonel could even begin wracking her brain for a story that was appropriate for a child, Naviin climbed from his spot on the couch and plopped himself onto Gennevi's lap. She sat stunned for a moment before forcing herself to relax. She supposed she should feel honored that the boy trusted her enough to be so bold, especially since Kyp had told her that he didn't take to new people easily, but she was still uncomfortable. Gennevi didn't have much experience with children…or really any at all. The only sibling she had was an older brother, whom she had spent the majority of her life looking up to. Even though he was only two years older than her, Gennevi saw him as the ultimate authority on the universe. It was a position he never shied away from.

"Evi?" She snapped out of her reverie and looked down at a pair of hazel eyes staring at her expectantly. "Are you going to tell me a story?"

"Sure." Shifting the child in her lap, Gennevi wrapped her left arm around his waist somewhat awkwardly. Naviin sat rather stiffly for a moment, but eventually relaxed against her hold, laying his head against her shoulder. "Okay, this story is about a girl—"

"Was she a princess?"

"No," she answered, and then sensing Naviin's disappointment quickly amended, "she was a warrior. Her name was…Taylinn. And one day she found herself stranded on a strange planet full of strange animals."

"What kind of ami…ami…animals?"

Gennevi smiled at the boy's short stutter. "All kinds of scary animals! Like rancors and nexus and bursas."

"Oh my!" Naviin gasped. "Did someone come to save her?"

"One day a man showed up to fight the animals."

"Was he…a Jedi?" Naviin yawned.

Gennevi smiled. "Yes he was, a very brave Jedi. He found Taylinn and helped her fight off the animals. Together they escaped in the Jedi's ship."

"Did they live happily…ever…after?" The last word was barely a whisper as Naviin was losing his fight against slumber.

"They sure did," Gennevi whispered.

X-X-X-X

Kyp had never been happier to for a Council meeting to be over. He knew that as a Master it was his responsibility to attend such meetings, and that contrary to popular belief they were necessary to the Order, but he still detested them. Especially when he had other places he would rather be.

Taking off across the Academy grounds at a swift pace, Kyp covered the distance to Jaina and Jag's home in a matter of minutes. As he approached he felt a lack of activity within the building, so he stepped through the front door cautiously. When he wasn't immediately bombarded by a little body, Kyp was concerned. Stepping in to the living room, he soon found out why. Gennevi was seated on the small couch with Naviin curled up in her lap, and both appeared to be sleeping like babies. Kyp stood stock still for a moment and committed the scene to memory. Naviin looked absolutely adorable, the face of absolute innocence as he slept. His head rested against Gennevi's shoulder, his little chest rising and falling in deep breaths. For her part, Gennevi also looked very comfortable with her head resting atop Naviin's and her arms circling his small body. In that moment Kyp wished he had a holocamera to capture the scene for posterity.

Walking around the couch, Kyp reached down and managed to untangle Naviin from Gennevi's arms without waking either of them. He laid the boy in his bed, placed his discarded stuffed murra in his arms and returned to the living room. When he sat down on the couch Gennevi stirred from her slumber.

"Good morning, sunshine," Kyp smirked.

Gennevi rubbed her eyes and looked around. "Where's Naviin?"

"I put him in his bed," Kyp explained. "You two looked rather comfortable when I found you." She raised an eyebrow in question but Kyp raised his hands in surrender. "I'm just saying that…well…you looked good with him on your lap. Very…natural."

Gennevi gave out an uneasy laugh. "He's a good kid. Full of questions though." The minute the words left her mouth, she regretted them.

"What kinds of questions?"

"He asked me when we were going to get married and have a baby." She lifted her eyes to look at the man next to her.

Kyp snorted. "Really?"

"Yes. He wants someone to play with." Seeing Kyp's smile and sensing his amusement lifted a huge weight off her shoulder. She was worried that such comments would send him into a one of his self- sacrificing, I'm-not-worthy-of-love moods. With a small smile she shifted closer to him so their bodies were touching.

Kyp wrapped his right arm around Gennevi's shoulders and pulled her close, letting her rest her head against his chest. "So what should we do now?"

Lifting her head, Gennevi stared up at those deep green eyes. "I can think of a few things." She pulled his face toward her own and sealed their lips. Her hands cupped his cheeks as his wound around her body. His fingers slid beneath her shirt, tracing the skin of her lower back. Every time he touched her, her body responded in kind, leaving goose bumps and causing shivers.

"Wow."

Kyp jumped back and sent a glare at the man standing in the doorway. "Jag," he sighed.

The grin on Jagged Fel's face was brighter than a supernova. "By all means, don't let me interrupt."

"All right," Kyp challenged. He leaned forward and kissed Gennevi again only to have her shove back against his chest. She stared at him with a look that said 'Don't even think about it.'

"Force, Durron," Jag laughed, "I would expect that sort of behavior from Leyla, not you."

Gennevi's cheeks and neck turned bright pink. She hid her face against Kyp's chest and, not for the first time, wondered if everyone on this planet had it out for her. "I should go," she whispered. "I'll see you later." Climbing to her feet, Gennevi sidestepped Jag to grab her cloak, offering the man a tight smile before fleeing back to her quarters.

"Was that entirely necessary?" Kyp growled.

"Probably not," Jag smiled. He disappeared into the kitchenette and returned with two bottles of some sort of local spirit. Taking a seat in the space that Gennevi had just vacated, he offered one to Kyp who gladly accepted. "But it was fun. And what kind of person would I be if I didn't seize every opportunity to make fun of you?"

"A nice one?"

"I've been called a lot of things in my life, Durron," Jag said in all seriousness, "but 'nice' was never one of them." Kyp just shook his head. A companionable silence descended on the pair. Jag picked up Naviin's discarded datapad to check the latest smashball games, cursing silently at the scores. The _Infuriated Savages_ had lost to the _Dreadnaughts_ again; looks like he owed his father-in-law 50 credits.

"You should know better than to bet against Han Solo." Kyp laughed and downed the remainder of her drink before climbing to his feet. "Now that you're here, I'll take my leave. Navi is in his room; he's just waking up now." Right on cue, the little boy appeared in the doorway rubbing his tired eyes.

"Hey kiddo," Jag smiled.

"Hi daddy," Naviin crawled into his father's lap before looking to Kyp. "Are you leaving Kyp?"

"For now," Kyp answered pulling on his cloak. "I'm sure I'll see you soon though."

"For your birthday?"

Kyp froze, one arm partially through his sleeve, and regarded the boy closely. "What are you talking about?" he asked nervously.

"I heard mommy and Leelee and Aunt Mara talking about it. We were scheming in Uncle Luke's office."

A cold, hard weight settled in the pit of Kyp's stomach. He should have known better than to assume that Leyla had forgotten his slip up a few weeks prior. And now she had dragged Jaina and Mara into the mix. Leyla and Jaina ganging up on him was bad, but putting Mara in the mix spelled trouble, and trouble was one thing that Kyp Durron was always eager to avoid.

X-X-X-X


	3. Chapter 3

**Of Nexus and Nobles: ****A Mission of Great Importance  
>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Sadly I don't own Star Wars. I would be so much happier (and richer) if I did.  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Colonel Gennevi Lassiter agreed to spend her month long medical leave on Ossus with Kyp. She had no idea her short vacations would be so….eventful. AU K/OC, mentions of L/M, H/L, J/J

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Kyp woke up from a fitful sleep and noted the time; it was still quite early, though the earliest risers would soon be stirring with the beginning of morning meal in the dining hall. In spite of the cold temperature in the stone temple, he felt quite warm- almost claustrophobically so- and attributed that fact to the other body curled up beneath the heavy blanket with him. The standard-sized beds in the Jedi temple were little more than cots, really, and it certainly gave Kyp and Gennevi something of an added feeling of youthful mischief as they entangled themselves tightly together to go to sleep.

This morning though, he felt cramped, and he carefully extracted one arm from under Gennevi's pillow before gently lifting her arm from where it was slung across his chest. Pulling slowly away, he slid from the bed and reached for a robe to counter the chilly morning air. All his effort at being silent and discreet was futile though- he should have known better than to think he could sneak around a trained military mind.

"Kyp?" Gennevi murmured. "What time is it?"

"Early," he whispered, as he drew the robe on. "Just past oh-six-hundred. Go back to sleep."

But she was already awake, blinking blearily and propping herself up on one arm as she regarded him shrewdly. "You didn't sleep well," she observed. "Everything alright?"

"_Yes_," he stressed, leaning over to kiss her forehead softly. She murmured contentedly at his touch and snuggled back down into her pillow, and Kyp couldn't stop the silly smile at the sight of her, so off-guard and vulnerable. It contrasted greatly with her usual no-nonsense efficiency he'd seen during his time on the _Trucemaker_ with her. "Sleep a bit more," he repeated as her eyes drifted closed. "I'll wake you up before breakfast's over."

Mumbling something incoherently, she burrowed underneath the warm blanket, seeking replacement heat to make up for Kyp's sudden absence. Once he was content that she was, in fact, going back to sleep, Kyp sat heavily down at the nearly bare desk in the room and put his head in one hand, thinking about how ridiculous he was being.

So Leyla remembered that his birthday was soon- so what? A lot of people had birthdays- okay, all of them did, he supposed. A lot of those people even _celebrated_ their birthdays, though Kyp really didn't understand doing so as an adult- who wanted to commemorate getting _older_? Especially when one got to be as old as he was about to be in… he grimaced… five days.

Sure, there had been a small celebration for Leyla's sixteenth birthday five months prior; it had actually been the first she had _not_ celebrated with Jaina and Jag, as they had just begun her apprenticeship two months before, but as they had been on Coruscant at the time, they had a nice dinner with the Solos and it had generally been a pleasant affair.

But Kyp was too fully aware of the capabilities of the scheming minds of Jaina Solo-Fel and Mara Jade Skywalker to trust this to be nearly as simple- or pleasant at all, at least not for him. The simple fact was that he had not truly celebrated a birthday since his ninth; his next two had been noted by his parents, even in the darkness of the spice mines and then after that…

He shook away that line of thinking uncomfortably. His parents had been dead nearly forty years and his brother more than thirty, and some things had died in the past with them. One of those was the desire to celebrate trivial holidays. Too many memories were associated with his dead home world, the small and peaceful aquatic planet, sparsely inhabited…

In fact, aside from the aquatic part… it sounded a lot like that planet Leia mentioned- Velmor.

Kyp sat upright with a jolt. That was it- Velmor. Monarchical intrigue, feuding nobility, tedious conflict… it was perfect.

X-X-X-X

When Luke popped by his office before breakfast, he found Kyp Durron already waiting outside it. Cocking a brow curiously at the younger Master, he waved him inside behind him and waited until the door slid shut again. "You're up early; something I can do for you, Kyp?"

"Velmor."

"Sorry?"

Kyp leaned forward in his chair agitatedly. "Velmor- I want it."

Luke looked torn between suspicion, amusement, and disbelief. "You want to go to Velmor," he repeated carefully. Kyp nodded tersely. "Mind if I ask why?"

Kyp glanced around warily. "It's… personal."

"Does this have something to do with Mara, Jaina, and Leyla?"

He was on his feet in a flash. "They got to you too?" Kyp demanded, eyes going wide. Luke rolled his eyes.

"I have _no_ idea what they're up to, Kyp. Why?- do you?" Kyp clamped his mouth shut firmly and met the older man's stare evenly. "It isn't really something that merits a full Master, you know that."

"Luke," Kyp pleaded, "please; is there anything else then? Something far away and dangerous, perhaps?"

"What has gotten into you?" Luke frowned heavily at him. "And what about Leyla? Are you planning on cutting her visit short so you can run away from her mother?"

Leyla- Kyp knew he'd been forgetting about something. "She can stay here," he suggested, "and either wait until I'm back or join me when her recovery-month is up."

With a heavy sigh, Luke shook his head and shrugged. "If you're really serious, I can contact Tresina and Leia and tell them the plan has changed; we're closer to Velmor than they are anyway."

"Excellent," Kyp stood quickly, "I'll get out of your way then. I really appreciate this, Master Skywalker."

And he left quickly, leaving a remarkably baffled Jedi Master in his wake.

X-X-X-X

When Kyp returned to his room, he wasn't surprised to see his bed empty. He smirked, noticing that the cot was made up with military precision. Reaching out through the Force, he found Gennevi down the hallway in her own room. She didn't answer when he knocked on the door, so Kyp let himself in. The sitting room was empty, as was the bedroom but the hum of the shower sounded from the fresher.

He thought about joining Gennevi, but quickly remembered how small the showers were in the Temple's guest quarters. He would wait out here for her. Kyp kicked off his boots and got comfortable on the bed, his hands folded behind his head. As the seconds ticked by, his mind wandered.

He was thrilled that Luke had granted his request to go to Velmor, but he worried how Leyla and Jaina would react. They might be upset, that was a distinct possibility, but he was not a party person and he would do anything to avoid one- even going to a planet that he'd never heard of, in the middle of nowhere, to deal with squabbling royals for a few days.

"I think you're lost Master Durron."

Kyp pulled himself from his thoughts. Gennevi was standing next to the bed, a towel wrapped around her body, her still-dripping hair hanging around her shoulders.

"This isn't my bed? I thought it felt a little different."

"Different how?"

He shifted on the mattress. "Lumpier… and bigger. Is your bed bigger than mine?"

Gennevi shook her head. "I assure you they are the same size. It just feels bigger because you are not sharing it with anyone." She pushed against Kyp's shoulder until he scooted over, then climbed onto the bed curling her body against his.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Oh yes, this does feel better." They lay together for a few moments, neither speaking but just enjoying the silence. "So are you going to ask me?"

"Ask you what?"

Kyp smirked. "What I know you've been wanting to ask me for the past ten minutes." Gennevi continued to stare at him blankly, though the glint in her eyes said she knew exactly what he was talking about. "You want to know where I took off to this morning. I went to go see Master Skywalker."

Gennevi nodded but didn't say anything.

Kyp took her silence as a request to continue. "I…uh volunteered for a little mission. It's a diplomatic intervention on the planet Velmor."

"Never heard of it."

"Neither have I. It's in the Halori Sector and apparently the royal family can't decide who gets to rule next."

"So they're sending you to solve that problem."

Kyp nodded but he sensed that wasn't the end of the conversation. "You can say it."

Gennevi lifted her head from his chest and shot him a stern glare. "I guess I'm going to have to get used to you being in my head, aren't I? What I was going to ask was…isn't that overkill? I don't claim to be an expert on Jedi hierarchy, but isn't that like sending a general to do a major's job?"

Kyp laughed. He should have learned by now not to underestimate this woman. "I guess it is, but I thought it would give you a chance to see me in action."

Gennevi laughed. "I believe I have seen you in _action_ before, Kyp."

"And while that _action_ is much more enjoyable, I'm talking about different kind here." Kyp laughed.

Gennevi hummed, seemingly rolling the idea around in her mind. "I would be a fool to pass up such an opportunity to see a Jedi Master at work. How long will we be gone?"

Kyp's mood brightened. This trip was looking much brighter with her along. "Barring any unforeseen complications, two weeks." _'Just long enough to avoid any spontaneous gatherings.'_

"Complications?"

"There's always some sort of trouble to be had where royals are concerned…name calling, questionable motives, assassination attempts…"

"Is that all?" Gennevi smirked. "Well then I guess I better put a bag together. When do we leave?"

Kyp pulled her body closer and for the first time seemed to realize she was nearly naked against him. "Later," he murmured, bringing his lips to hers in a soft yet demanding kiss.

"Good, because there's something else I'm looking forward to right now." She leaned up on her elbow and trailed her lips across his jaw.

"And what might that be?"

Gennevi was silent as she kissed her way back to his lips. "I seem to remember…someone saying something…about…breakfast." And just like that she was off the bed and heading toward the fresher.

Kyp lay on the bed for a moment, confused and more than slightly aroused. "You are an evil woman, Gennevi."

The only answer he got was the resounding giggle from the 'fresher.

X-X-X-X

Gennevi stood staring at her overnight bag without actually seeing it. She was definitely looking forward to the trip, if for no other reason than it would give she and Kyp some time alone…without interruptions. The trip from Ossus to Velmor would take nearly 12 hours, spent in hyperspace where- Kyp made it quite clear- there could be no interruptions of any kind. Just the thought made her toes curl.

But there was something about this whole idea that bothered her. She wondered, not for the first time, why exactly Kyp had volunteered for the mission. It did seem to be a bit...out of character for him to _want_ to deal with such a petty problem. Maybe he really was just looking for an easy way to score them some alone time. That would answer the question of why exactly he had asked her to accompany him. Surely there were a number of people who would be much better suited for such a mission. The first to come to mind was of course Leyla, Kyp's apprentice—and daughter.

This wasn't the first time Gennevi had wondered if she was stepping on toes with this family. It was such a…unique dynamic that she wasn't exactly sure where she would fit in if and when she and Kyp decided on such things. She'd seen the relationship between Kyp and Leyla as well as between Kyp and Jaina, and she was sure that either woman wouldn't hesitate to intervene if Gennevi was overstepping her bounds. Still, she decided that she would track down Leyla and talk to the young woman she had spent the better part of a month flying with.

X-X-X-X

When Leyla stepped out of her final lesson of the day she was not expecting to see Colonel Lassiter waiting for her. The older woman looked slightly out of place as she stood against the far wall, her hands clasped tightly behind her back, her rigid military posture unshakeable, even in this vastly different environment.

"Colonel," Leyla greeted. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"I was wondering if we could talk?"

That caught Leyla completely off guard. She nodded slowly and followed Gennevi as she walked down the hallway. "Is something wrong?" she asked after a few moments of silence. Leyla could feel the Colonel's anxiousness in the Force and hoped this had nothing to do with her father.

"I take it you've heard about the mission to Velmor that Ky—your father has volunteered for?" Leyla ignored the verbal stumble and nodded. "Then I can assume that you've also heard that I will be accompanying him on this mission?"

"Yes."

Gennevi stopped abruptly and turned to face Leyla. "You're okay with that then?"

Leyla smirked knowingly. "Okay with you going to Velmor with him? Or okay with you and my father dating?"

"Both, I suppose."

"Colonel, don't worry about Velmor, really- it might seem to you like you're taking my place or something," Gennevi nodded reluctantly, "but I'll just remind you that I'm still technically, ah… 'healing,'" she said a bit sarcastically. "I wouldn't be _allowed_ to go if I wanted to. And… don't tell dad," she leaned in conspiratorially, eyes twinkling, "but I'm more than alright sitting this one out."

Gennevi frowned bemusedly. "May I ask why?"

She chuckled. "Look, apprenticing with my dad is great; it's been fun, it's been educational, we've bonded a lot over the last seven months. But I won't argue with the mandatory break from flitting around the galaxy- my little brother is growing up and I'm rarely here to see it and, for all the power in the Force my mother possesses, my dad- er, my step- you know what I mean- he's got about as much awareness of the Force as a mynock. It's hard with him because, for most of the family, when you leave, you aren't really separating, there's always that underlying connection. With him… when he's gone, he's really gone. Does that make sense?"

Gennevi nodded gravely. "It makes perfect sense. I imagine it's difficult for him, being constantly surrounded by the Force but being unable to touch it himself."

"Sort of how you're feeling now, huh?" Leyla asked shrewdly. Gennevi just shrugged in mild resignation, and Leyla smiled softly. "Anyway, the point is that I have family and friends here who I rarely see anymore and… well, to be quite honest, I'd rather have a few relaxing weeks with them than sit around listening to the royalty of a relatively unimportant world debate the line of succession like it's a matter of the greatest galactic importance," she winked.

"A fair point; in that light, I suppose the former option does sound quite preferable," she commented wryly.

The teenager smirked a bit mischievously. "But you aren't going for the educational experience to be gained by watching a Jedi Master in action, now are you?"

She fought the faint flush valiantly, but could not stop her cheeks from turning pink as she vaguely and involuntarily thought, _well- not _that_ sort of action_, and then stamped that line of thought out by reminding herself that this was Kyp's _daughter_ with whom she was speaking.

Leyla pursed her lips and chose her words carefully. "Colonel, as for you and my father dating…I'll admit it was a little weird at first." She watched the expression on the older woman's face before quickly amending her statement. "Not that you are dating, of course. It's just…well I've only known you for a few weeks, and frankly I'm used to seeing you in a…professional atmosphere. It's kind of awkward to mix the two worlds."

Gennevi nodded slowly. "Understandable."

"The thing about my dad," Leyla explained, "is that he's… quite private, in personal matters. I certainly understand it, even if I wish he were more open sometimes. He's had a hard life, and I'm not just talking about his brushes with the dark side. He lost everything he held dear by the time he was eleven years old, found his brother again at eighteen, only to face the horrible realization that he was responsible for his death literally minutes later. Personal connections frighten him, there's a _reason_ he chose to keep the truth of my parentage a secret, even from me, for a long time. The prospect of… I don't know, of hurting, or disappointing anyone else he cares about… it terrifies him, deep down.

"But," she said pointedly, "as much as he might fight it- as much as I suspect he _did_ fight it," Gennevi nodded ruefully, "you make him happy- and I mean happy in a way that being a proud parent _never_ could," she added with a knowing wink. "I haven't seen him so… carefree, lighthearted… haven't seen him smile this much in a long time, if ever. And if he's happy, I can put aside any… weirdness… I might feel."

"If it helps with the weirdness, you don't have to call me Colonel. My name's Gennevi."

Leyla rolled the word around her mind for a minute. "Gennevi… I think I can get used to that." They strolled along aimlessly for a moment, reflecting on what had been said, before something else occurred to Leyla. "Besides," she added wryly, "I really should thank you… Gennevi… for keeping my father distracted."

"Distracted?"

She grinned and turned to face the older woman. "Sure- if he hadn't been so baffled and confused by everything he felt for _you_, he'd probably have had the presence of mind to actually kill poor Deren."

Gennevi laughed delightedly. "Oh - you can't even imagine how terrified he was…" she trailed away a bit awkwardly, remembering belatedly the circumstances leading to the terror. Leyla didn't seem to mind though, and giggled a bit with the thought. "Very resolute though… sort of… cute," she nudged the girl playfully.

"Did you _really_ go to my mother first, when Deren told you what had happened?" she asked in a rush, sounding as though she'd been waiting impatiently for this story for days.

The colonel grinned. "Well… in my defense, I chose to go to Jaina for very pragmatic reasons- first, she was the leader of the whole Jedi team; second, she has a closer relationship to Admiral Darklighter…"

"And third, she was less likely to kill Deren on the spot?"

"There is that," Gennevi conceded graciously.

They walked on a bit more, no clear destination in mind, and Gennevi felt a vast measure of relief to finally talk so openly with Kyp's daughter. Much of her anxiety regarding her place among them had subsided, even from what little they had spoken of, and she was greatly relaxed towards the prospect of the next day's trip. Still, there was something that she had been wondering for some time, but it seemed too… personal, too invasive, to actually ask…

"Something on your mind?" Leyla asked casually, and Gennevi bit back her chagrined sigh. She should have known better than to brood around the daughter of Kyp Durron, if his abilities of reading her were any judge of the matter.

She hesitated. "It really isn't my place…" Leyla fixed her with a sidelong stare and cocked a brow curiously. "I just… I wondered if it's ever weird for you, growing up with a stepfather, but having all three of your… parents, as it were… on such good and close terms with one another." She flushed a bit as Leyla's surprised look. "I'm sorry, I just…" she shrugged helplessly. "My parents were separated," she explained. "And to be fair, I was eight when my mother remarried, whereas you have known Jag as your father your whole life, but it was just… always awkward, after that."

Leyla was thoughtful for a long time, and just as Gennevi was afraid she had frightened the girl off, she spoke softly, pensively. "My parents… they made some difficult choices when I was very young," she explained quietly. "I know Kyp has been open with you, has told you what forced those choices… but once they were made, the idea was to sort of… start over, you know? My mother, after going through months of pain and hatred towards my father- she let it go for _me_, didn't want to burden my life, even if it was unknowingly on my part, by clinging to those feelings. And dad- Kyp… he's always been grateful towards my stepfather for the way he treated mom and me in light of those circumstances- or despite them, perhaps."

She shrugged heavily. "Besides, the closeness you see between them now, that's somewhat rekindled in recent years. Until I was seven, Kyp was a good friend, but a distant one. He maintained his distance so that the connection _he_ felt between us wouldn't be so noticeable by me, he rarely visited our place on Coruscant… I usually only ever saw him at the temple, or at my grandparents'. And then when I knew the truth, I started spending more time with him, but mom and dad gave us our space, let us feel out the new relationship between us on our own.

"And then of course," she added wryly, "the whole thing took on a whole new element of confusion and complication four years ago." Gennevi nodded slowly, having talked it over extensively with Kyp already. "Mom and Navi have this strange link in the Force to Kyp that mom tried to break and just _couldn't_; dad's unendingly grateful to Kyp for committing himself to their protection for so long." She trailed away and then murmured softly, "And then there's me, sort of hovering in the middle of it all."

The two women walked a short distance until they came to the turbolift. They were about to part ways when Leyla thought of something important. "Gennevi, can I ask you for a small favor?"

Gennevi regarded the young woman with interest. Gone was the reflective frown that had graced her lips moments before. It was replaced by a look that was…almost evil. She didn't know whether to be scared or intrigued, but nodded for her to continue.

"First of all, you have to promise me you won't breathe a word of this to my father." Leyla waited for the nod of confirmation before she continued. "His birthday is coming up in a few days and my mom and Aunt Mara and I are planning a small…get together."

Gennevi raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You're throwing your father a birthday party?" Leyla nodded eagerly. "And he can't know about it…why exactly?"

"My father isn't the most social person in the galaxy. He'd do just about anything to avoid a party, it's not really his style. That's probably why he's heading to Velmor at all, actually."

"And what is this favor you need?"

The evil grin was back. "I just need you to comm me before you guys leave Velmor."

Now Gennevi understood. "Kyp thinks that he's going to avoid a party by not being on Ossus for his birthday."

"But we're just going to wait until he comes back. He can't avoid this place forever, and there's no law saying you can only celebrate on the exact date of birth," Leyla grinned, but then sobered slightly. "Nothing over-the-top," she promised. "Just a quiet family get-together to commemorate the big half-century mark."

Gennevi chuckled then frowned. "You probably shouldn't have told me about it…I mean, won't he be able to read about it in my thoughts or something?"

"The Force doesn't really work like that," Leyla assured her. "Jedi can pick up on emotions, sensations, feelings… not really specific thoughts in usual circumstances, though there _are_ techniques for linking together in battle and the like that accomplish that more effectively. But for day-to-day interaction, you'd have to both be Jedi and be… well, you'd have to share a connection like Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara, to really read one another like that."

"So how do I keep him from picking up on the emotions?"

Leyla shrugged unhelpfully and gave her a blank look. "Don't think about it?" she suggested. "If you don't overly project your feelings outwards, he won't pick up on it."

A sudden thought occurred to Gennevi, and she paled slightly. "When someone projects like that… do all Jedi pick up on it?" What if everyone in the Temple was able to pick up on her emotions as easily as Kyp did? Could they feel when she and Kyp were… together?

"Only if they're in a close proximity, or actively trying to read your emotions," Leyla answered, seemingly unaware of the other woman's internal panic- or reveling in the sudden awkwardness of the older woman, it was difficult to say. "But don't worry, my father's really good about shielding. He wouldn't let anyone else pick up on any… uh… feelings or anything."

The Colonel breathed a soft sigh of relief. "That's good to know."

Leyla just smiled drily, not particularly wanting to know what precisely had spurred the sudden panic in her father's girlfriend, though she had a pretty good idea. That was something she definitely did not want in her head.

"I guess I should let you finish preparing for your trip."

Gennevi nodded. She needed to finish packing her bag before she had agreed to meet Kyp for dinner. "I'll be sure to comm you before we leave."

Leyla smirked- it was fun having another co-conspirator. "May the Force be with you," she said, turning on her heel and heading toward the nearest exit.

X—X—X—X—X

So this is our ship?" Gennevi asked as she and Kyp stood in the Temple's hangar the following morning. The large, cavernous room was fairly deserted with only a handful of techs and mechanics crowding around a larger shuttle on the opposite end.

Kyp nodded as he punched in access codes to lower the shuttle's ramp. "Yes, this is _The Mediator_: a JS-77B interstellar shuttle, slightly modified of course."

"Of course," Gennevi nodded. She waited patiently for the ramp to lower before following Kyp onboard. At the top of the ramp lay the entrance to a small cargo hold and down a short hallway was the main lounge where several chairs surrounded a large table. Peaking around the corner she found a small galley and an adjacent bunk. She set her bag down on the bunk before continuing to familiarize herself with the ship. The refresher and another bunk room sat behind the main lounge. Through another door she found herself in the cockpit.

"Enjoy your tour?" Kyp asked. He was sitting in the pilot's chair, beginning initial preparations for lift off.

"It's a nice ship," Gennevi said. "Though I don't think it would work for larger delegations."

Kyp laughed. "No, it's pretty small. We use this mostly for smaller, local missions. If you put more than four people on this ship, someone is bound to get hurt. It doesn't get used very often."

Gennevi leaned over Kyp's shoulder and watched as his fingers danced across the control panel. The navigation computer hummed to life. All across the board lights blinked on as systems came online. "What kind of weapons does this thing have?"

"Standard shields and two ion cannons," he rattled off. Stilling his hands, Kyp spun the pilot's chair around to face Gennevi. "Are you expecting trouble?"

Gennevi's eyebrow arched. She stepped toward him, coming to stand between his legs and resting her hands on his shoulders. "Durron, I've learned when you're involved to always expect trouble." Before she could even laugh, Kyp had knocked her legs out from under her. She fell forward, ending up seated in his lap.

Kyp wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her place. "Are you saying I'm trouble?"

Gennevi shook her head. "I'm just saying that trouble seems to find you." She placed a kiss on his lips. "Are you denying those claims?" Kyp just shook his head and crashed his lips back to hers. Their lips had barely touched why the sound of wheels was heard on the boarding ramp. Gennevi snapped back and looked toward the doorway to find a blue R2 unit moving down the hallway. "Just a droid," she whispered, turning back to Kyp.

Kyp pulled his arms tighter around her waist and kissed her again. It took his rather preoccupied mind a moment to realize that the droid was in fact R2D2, and where there was Artoo there was…

"Ahem."

This time it was Gennevi that cursed under her breath. She was getting really tired of all these Jedi interrupting all the time. Weren't they supposed to be able to tell what was going on around them? They should know better than to interrupt such moments. And more importantly, shouldn't Kyp be able to sense when others were approaching? She'd have to ask him about that later.

"Is there something you needed, Master Skywalker?" Kyp sighed.

Luke grinned nervously. "I was just checking to see if you needed anything before you took off for Velmor."

"I think we're good to go," Kyp said. He looked at Gennevi for confirmation who nodded.

"Okay then," Master Skywalker smiled. "May the Force be with you…both of you." He bowed his head before turning and exiting the ship. A few moments passed before Artoo's cylindrical body came gliding past the door. He paused there for a second, his optical sensor on top spinning toward the pair seated in the cockpit, before emitting a string of beeps that sounded suspiciously like a whistle or a laugh and departing the ship.

"That is getting really old," Gennevi groaned.

"I agree. Are you ready for a grand adventure?"

She strapped herself in to the copilot's chair. "Ready, captain."

Kyp smiled. He flipped the switch to raise the ramp and waited for all systems to go green. After a few moments, _The Mediator_ was primed and ready to take off.

"Velmor, here we come."

* * *

><p><strong>See that little button just below here...it's right about...here. If you click it something amazingly awesome will happen. You know you're just dying to try it. Go on...I won't tell. :D<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Of Nexus and Nobles: ****A Mission of Great Importance  
>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Sadly I don't own Star Wars. I would be so much happier (and richer) if I did.  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Colonel Gennevi Lassiter agreed to spend her month long medical leave on Ossus with Kyp. She had no idea her short vacations would be so….eventful. AU K/OC, mentions of L/M, H/L, J/J  
><strong>Setting:<strong> 43 ABY, Ossus

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

The _Mediator_ set down smoothly in a hangar attached to the royal palace in the planetary capital of Den Velmor. Gennevi began the shutdown process just as Kyp walked into the cockpit, newly donning his formal brown and tan Jedi robes for the occasion, with only his lightsaber and a comlink clipped to his belt. Per his suggestion, she had brought her Galactic Alliance Defense Fleet uniform to give her presence some semblance of purpose, though she assured him that she would not be offended if they request that she not attend negotiations.

Strong arms wrapped around her from behind the captain's chair as she stood, pinning her to the control deck. "Nice landing," a voice murmured softly in her ear. "I barely felt a thing."

She twisted around to give him a sardonic grin. "If you'd like, we could fly through an asteroid field on the way back."

"Nah, we don't have Threepio to shout us the odds." A brow rose in polite confusion. "Never mind," he assured her hastily. "So- you ready for the courtly intrigues of royal life?"

"No." He regarded her curiously, until she leaned up and gave him a quick kiss, which he tried to prolong. She put a finger to his lips and backed away, smiling softly. "Now I'm ready."

A pair of stoic guards met them at the base of the landing ramp. They wore uniforms of deep blue and silver, which Kyp supposed to be the color of the royal house, but no armor. There were blasters on their hips though, stopping his quip about the planet lacking weapons at all just before it reached his lips.

Wordlessly, the guards turned and led them from the hangar and, after a quick look and a casual shrug, Kyp took off after them, Gennevi following close behind. They emerged into a large courtyard, with the walls of the palace towering several stories on each side of them; a huge fountain bubbled merrily in the center, surrounded by all manner of exotic plants that were in high bloom.

Before they had much time to admire the flora, Kyp and Gennevi were led through an ornate doorway and then quickly ushered into a turbolift that was decorated in a grandiose way that was probably on par with the old Imperial Palace, before it was destroyed during the Yuuzhan Vong war. During the fast rise towards the top of the structure- possibly the _very _top, Kyp decided- he studied the gold and silver inlays that wound round the doors of the lift, and wondered if the intricate designs were more than simply aesthetic.

When the doors slid open once more, the guards preceded them down a long corridor, finally coming to a halt outside a pair of double doors in an old, traditional hinge style. One of them tapped lightly, and the doors were pulled inwards from the inside, admitting the four of them. The two guards stepped to the side, and Kyp and Gennevi strode forwards into what appeared to be a large council room.

They stopped several steps from the table as everyone present stood, and Gennevi immediately felt extremely out of place amid the colors and splendor, compared to her simplistic grey colonel's uniform, notable only for the citations pinned to the left breast.

A brief scan of those present quickly revealed that the king himself had come for this meeting, and the two turned to face him as he drew himself slowly to his feet. Kyp and Gennevi executed a low and semi-formal bow, waiting to first be addressed in an attempt to adhere to local propriety.

"Please, please," the wizened man had a somewhat raspy voice, "we are honored by your visit, Master Kyp Durron; though I am afraid I was unaware of your traveling companion."

"Your highness," Kyp spoke evenly, "may I present Colonel Gennevi Lassiter, of the Galactic Alliance Defense Fleet."

A younger man, yet still elderly, spoke haltingly from across the room. "We were not told that the military would send representatives as well…"

Denid held up a hand. "Peace, Jorim."

"My companion is not here as an official representative," Kyp explained. "She is a friend and guest of mine while on leave from her post. However, should you desire, the colonel is more than willing to retire to our ship during formal proceedings…"

"No," Denid wheezed, "please." He strode forward on slightly unsteady legs and took Gennevi's hand in his. "Any friend of the Jedi is a friend of Velmor's- and a friend of mine." Out of the corner of his eye, Kyp was fairly sure he saw Denid wink at Gennevi, and saw her blush in turn.

Suppressing a grin, he took the king's hand. "Master Skywalker and Jedi Organa Solo send their regards, Your Highness."

"Ah, Leia," Denid smiled wistfully. "I fancied myself in love with her once, you know…"

Kyp saw a young woman- one of the daughters, he suspected- hide a smile behind her hand. "You weren't the first and certainly not the last," he assured the king drily. "But please," he gestured back towards the empty chair at the head of the table, "no need to be uncomfortable on our accounts…"

The king waved him off. "I shan't be staying, Master Durron; too old and too easily lulled to sleep, I'm afraid. Let me just introduce… ah," his two daughters came to stand on either side, the one Kyp had noticed before now trying hard to suppress her smile. "My elder daughter, Nadhia," he indicated the other woman, to his right. She had flowing dark hair that hung long down her back, and eyes of a deep grey. "And my younger, D'lanyi." The younger daughter had a lighter complexion, with reddish-blonde hair and blue-grey eyes, and a generally lighthearted disposition, it seemed.

Kyp and Gennevi each inclined their heads towards the two princesses.

"And now," the young women kissed his cheeks in turn before returning to the table, "I shall let them introduce their families- I'm sure it will be a lengthy process," he added quietly and a bit wearily, and Kyp smiled ruefully. "Best of luck to you, Master Durron- I'm sure we shall have the opportunity to speak later."

X-X-X-X

Two hours later, Kyp was beginning to wonder if it was worth it.

Things had started out pleasantly enough. The elder of the princesses, Nadhia, had introduced her husband, Torin, the Duke of Dan Yurilan; D'lanyi had introduced hers, Ollyndor, the Duke of Den Wesden.

The four of them were quite nice and polite, and accorded Kyp and Gennevi the same respect they were shown.

And then the family heads got involved.

For a full hour, they listened to two grown men essentially compete over which family had a closer claim to the throne, complete will holos of full family trees and a summarized history of the succession to the throne over the past five generations, when it had fallen to Denid's ancestors in the first place.

The point at which Kyp lost it was when Torin's father began insisting that the claim of Ollyndor's uncle was nonsense, because the ancestor on which it was largely based had been an illegitimate child of the reigning monarch with a lowly commoner.

"SILENCE!"

Everyone froze and then turned slowly back towards the half-forgotten Jedi Master. For her part, Gennevi looked just as startled as any of them.

"This," he ground out, "is ridiculous. You squabble worse than my sixteen-year-old daughter and, let me tell you, she's got a mouth on her. And if we can't do this without resorting to crude insults of each other's ancestors, then _here_ is how it will be done:

"Tonight, you," he looked pointedly at Torin's father and Ollyndor's uncle, "will submit to me a well thought-out and respectful argument detailing, first of all, why you feel your family is better suited to become the next line of rulers; second of all, you will explain to me on what level this concerns you at all, as it seems to me that these decisions should be left into the hands of Princess Nadhia and Princess D'lanyi, and their husbands, not to mention King Denid himself; you will do this coherently, and respectfully of each other, and in writing."

He took a deep breath. "And tomorrow, I would like to sit down with Your Highnesses," he nodded towards the two women and their husbands, "and speak with you together and individually on this matter." Nadhia nodded somberly, though D'lanyi smiled brightly. "Thank you; then I think we have had enough for now."

Gennevi watched them file from the room, the older men grumbling under their breath, before she turned to stare at Kyp. "What?" he asked defensively.

She just shook her head. "I've just never seen a Jedi in action."

He snorted. "This, action?" Then he frowned. "Wait, sure you have- you flew in combat with Jaina, and surely that-"

"Kyp," she interrupted him in a deadly serious voice. "I don't want to talk about Jaina Solo-Fel right now." He flushed a bit and frowned, but she stopped him from speaking. "Don't be like that- I just mean that I have other things in mind. Other things you could be doing… with your mouth…" she murmured, leaning in close.

He grinned charmingly and captured her lips in a soft but thorough kiss. And he was just thinking about suggesting a lovely stroll through the courtyard they came through earlier…

…when the soft sound of a throat clearing jolted them apart.

"Master Durron?" a low and troubled voice came from the doorway, and he turned resignedly to see who it was while Gennevi stared determinedly down at the table, a steady red blush rising in her neck and across her cheeks. "My apologies," stammered- to Kyp's surprise- Nadhia, and her own embarrassment seemed to rival Gennevi's. "I just… wondered if I could have a word."

"Of course, Highness" Kyp rose smoothly to his feet. "But if it can wait until tomorrow, I thought we'd-"

"No," she broke in sharply, and then looked a bit self-conscious again. "I mean- it isn't about… well, it sort of is, but…"

He held up a hand. "Please- from the beginning?" he suggested quietly.

Nodding heavily, she gestured over her shoulder. "Will you come with me? There's someone I want you to meet."

X-X-X-X

"Jag," Jaina murmured as they sat on the sofa, relaxing after dinner, "can you get Navi ready for bed tonight?" she nodded towards the boy who was yawning with increasing frequency while he was curled up in an armchair with his big sister. "I want to talk to Leyla for a few minutes."

Leyla's eyes shot up but remained fixedly focused in any direction but her mother and stepfather.

Jag glanced curiously between the two of them and cocked a brow. "Sure," he said slowly. "Do I want to know what you're talking about?"

"Nope," she smiled up at him broadly and he leaned over to peck her quickly on the lips before standing. "Silly things- girl things. You know, boys and-"

"Ah," he held up a hand and closed his eyes, even as Leyla hid her face behind her hands and shook her head in horror, "you've already said too much. Take your time," he glanced pointedly at Leyla, as though to tell her that she wasn't to start dating until she was married, "I'll be sure to read Navi a _very long_ bedtime story."

She grinned as she watched him scoop up Naviin and carry him towards his bedroom, and didn't turn to address Leyla until she heard the door close. For her part, Leyla was still regarding the far wall studiously, a faint tinge of pink to her cheeks, but she did turn to look at her mother when she spoke. "So… sweetheart…"

"Mom," Leyla looked at her desperately, "you realize we had this talk when I was all of like, twelve, right?"

"Exactly," Jaina said smartly, "you were 'all of twelve.' Everything is very… abstract… at twelve."

"It's still quite abstract, thank you very much!" Leyla snapped, the flush spreading throughout her face and neck. Jaina stared at her coolly for a moment before she sighed and slumped a bit, sinking down into the chair. "Sorry," she muttered. "But I mean it- Deren and I were friends, we never…" she trailed away, and looked immensely grateful when Jaina nodded her understanding.

Jaina's expression softened a bit and she leaned forward, seeking out Leyla's eyes. "I know that."

"You do?" she blinked.

Her mother's lips twitched ruefully. "In a brief moment of extreme panic, the prospect of being murdered on the spot by your father had Deren just _slightly_ more concerned than he was for your well-being. He, ah- made it quite clear that while the two of you had spent the night together, you were not… _sleeping_ together."

"Got it," Leyla murmured faintly.

"Nevertheless," a hint of sternness entered her voice, "you're sixteen and having sleepovers with fighter jocks," Leyla groaned and the color rose back into her cheeks with fervor, "so abstract or not, I think we can have this little chat _again_. Don't you?"

Leyla grumbled something incomprehensible, and a gentle smile tugged at the corners of Jaina's mouth.

"So," she clapped her hands together and spoke cheerfully, "first things first- you're getting to that stage in your life where members of the less-refined gender might start appealing to you in new and interesting ways," Leyla groaned again and closed her eyes, sinking even further down into the armchair. "And that's great- fun, even."

"Oh my god," Leyla muttered under her breath.

"But when you're a teenager, while you might _feel_ that appeal, it's very likely that you won't really understand it; at least not at first. Our bodies do strange things when hormones take over, and it's unfortunate, but you're pretty much at that age where your hormones are going to do most of your thinking for you." Leyla just stared at her. "_So_," Jaina said pointedly, "I'm going to tell you what someone told _me_ when I was around your age- never let yourself be pressured to do something that makes you uncomfortable."

In the ensuing silence, Jag could be heard reading at a slightly higher volume, clearly trying very hard to distract himself and block out any and all sounds drifting into Naviin's room from their conversation.

Leyla was frowning heavily. "This isn't the conversation we had when I was twelve," she accused.

"Of course it isn't," Jaina waved her hand dismissively. "When you're twelve, the line is 'boys are bad, and if you have sex before you're married, you'll probably die'," Leyla rolled her eyes. "When you're _sixteen_, we parents have to grudgingly admit that our children will be better served with _real_ advice, because teenagers will be teenagers, whether we want them to be or not." She paused and collected her thoughts. "Now, when I was your age, I rarely saw my parents, and I was zipping around the galaxy in an X-wing, generally trying to be older than I really was. I met dad-Jag, I mean- when I was only sixteen, you know."

"Great," Leyla said dully, clearly still wishing she was anywhere else.

Jaina continued on as though she hadn't heard her. "And when I wasn't busy thinking he was the most arrogant and stuck-up excuse for a colonel to be found in the known galaxy," Jag's reading in the next room faltered a bit before he picked up more loudly again, "I was quite intrigued by him; but, being in the middle of a war, it was hardly the ideal place for pondering such feelings." She hesitated and thought hard. "Well, until the next year, after I'd injured myself and was booted from Rogue squadron, and suddenly found myself with enough time to balance the war and certain… extra activities…"

"Mom!"

The worst thing about it for Leyla was that it was all-too-evident that Jaina was thoroughly enjoying herself, the more uncomfortable she made her daughter. Her impish grin faded though, and her expression turned serious and earnest. "The point I'm trying to make, sweetheart, is that I didn't have a place to turn, didn't have someone to confide in, someone to talk to about the confusing things I was starting to feel for Jag or Kyp… or Zekk…"

"Zekk?"

The smirk was back. "Don't worry- it was an academy thing, and it was over before it started, really. Anyway, I was very fortunate to find someone who understood that I was a nervous and confused teenager, someone who let me set the pace of our relationship without pressure."

Leyla winced. "Do I even want to know who?"

An exasperated sigh escaped Jaina. "Your father, Leyla." Leyla looked up at her in surprise and Jaina gave her a look. "For all of Kyp's failings in matters of the war at the time… well, and the whole 'on the brink of the dark side' thing… he was very- understanding- in matters of romance."

"I don't need details," Leyla hurriedly assured her. "Believe me, I have enough of them already."

"Fair enough," Jaina conceded. "Then we can move on- let's talk about birth control…"

And in the next room- despite the fact that they could both sense that Naviin was fast asleep- Jag kept reading steadfastly.

X-X-X-X

"Wait outside," Nadhia commanded the older woman who stood in attendance to the young boy playing with a small fleet of model ships on the ground- he looked to be six or seven. "Master Durron, Colonel Lassiter," she addressed them when the door was again closed, "this is my son, Lorac; he is named for my grandfather," she answered Kyp's unspoken question; the name had sounded familiar from the brief history Artoo had compiled for him to peruse during the flight.

The boy set his toys down and came to stand nervously beside his mother. She brushed curly hair from his forehead affectionately, and Kyp easily saw a resemblance between them. "It's our pleasure to meet you, Lorac," Kyp said a bit curiously, glancing at Nadhia in mild confusion.

Young Lorac glanced nervously up at his mother and she nodded encouragingly. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself before addressing the Jedi Master. "I'm honored to make your acquaintance, Master Durron," he spoke quietly and a bit shyly. "And I wondered if I can ask you a question." Smiling in polite bemusement, Kyp nodded. "Master Durron- can I be a Jedi?"

A beat passed and Kyp's brows shot up before he looked quickly between the boy and his mother.

Nadhia explained. "My father was the one who first suspected that Lorac has some capability in your 'Force'- we simply don't know how much."

Kyp nodded slowly and reached out, gently probing against the young and undisciplined mind. "Lorac," he spoke gently, "I'm going to try a test. It won't hurt, but it might feel a little strange- is that alright?"

Hesitantly nodding, he gripped Nadhia's hand, and Kyp felt for that spot in the back of his mind, the small center of unconscious defensive reflex where Luke had first ascertained his capabilities in the Force more than thirty years ago now…

Without warning, he stumbled backwards as he was forcefully pushed from Lorac's mind. Gennevi bit back a shocked exclamation, and the child looked to be on the verge of tears, but Kyp smiled broadly down at him. "Yes, Lorac, you can be a Jedi."

A small bubble of hope in the boy's chest burst into ecstatic joy. "Really?" he asked, face lighting up.

"If your parents allow it." He glanced at Nadhia, who nodded shortly. "I suppose we can address the matter tomorrow, when we talk about…"

"You misunderstand, Master Durron," she interrupted him gently. "That is the end of it." He blinked, thoroughly confused. Smiling tightly, she placed a hand on her son's shoulders. "Go play, darling."

He obediently did so, and Nadhia led them from the playroom and into an empty sitting room across the expansive apartment in the palace. "Master Durron," she indicated they should sit, "we have hidden this from my husband's father, knowing that he will do all in his power to stop Lorac from pursuing studies in your Jedi ways- and Lorac wants that very badly."

Gennevi understood before Kyp did. "And if you and your husband take the throne…"

She nodded. "As the heir apparent, Lorac would be unable to leave. But now that we know for sure… Torin and I will take him to Coruscant as soon as I renounce my royal claims."

Dumbfounded, Kyp stared at the solemn woman, and read the deadly seriousness in her aura. "Princess," he stammered, "you should not make this decision lightly. The life of a Jedi is a difficult one, and a commitment to serve and protect, to defend others before oneself…"

Nadhia smiled wistfully. "I know. My father holds the Jedi in high esteem, and even in my own childhood, he would tell stories of their deeds of old- and he was telling those stories to Lorac long before we had any inkling of his capabilities. But he at least wants the opportunity… and I cannot imagine that the life of a Jedi is more difficult than a life like… well… _that_," she bit, and he knew she was referring to the scene from a half-hour earlier.

She shrugged heavily. "I will speak with my father and husband, but… Master Durron, Colonel Lassiter, I daresay you will be able to be on your way again by morning. I hope you were not terribly inconvenienced by the journey out here in the first place."

"No," Kyp murmured, still shocked and blindsided, "not in the slightest."

X-X-X-X

"Is that kind of thing normal?" Kyp grunted but made no attempt to answer the question. "Do situations like that…do they often just solve themselves?"

"No," he admitted, "that was a first…for me at least."

Gennevi stepped out of the bathroom and shook her head. "I almost wish we could drag this out for a day or two."

Kyp raised his head off the pillow and cocked an eyebrow. "Were you in the same room I was? Why would you want to go back in there?"

"I don't want to go back in there, but look at this room, Kyp." She threw her arms out to the sides. "When was the last time you were in a place this nice? Have you seen the 'fresher? That bathtub is the size of a swimming pool!"

"I'll have to check that out…later. Right now I need a nap."

Gennevi moved to the side of the bed where Kyp lay. She reached down and poked his shoulder, but Kyp remained still. "What's the matter, Durron?"

"Tired."

"Oh…that's a shame." She trailed her finger down his arm suggestively. "I guess I'll just go take a shower." She waited a moment and when Kyp didn't move, she rolled her eyes and walked back into the refresher.

The shower was absolutely amazing, bigger than Gennevi's quarters aboard the _Trucemaker_ and twice as luxurious. There were two shower heads—one on either wall—and a long bench along the back wall. As if the facilities weren't enough, the room was also stocked with a plethora of oils, scent crystals, body washes, and lotions. Gennevi picked up a random bottle, sniffing its wonderful fragrance before placing it back on the shelf and choosing another. She finally picked one and stepped in the shower.

"Oh that's good," she sighed, the hot water pelting her tired muscles.

"Well I guess you don't need me then."

It took great control for Gennevi to not jump and spin around. She looked over her shoulder with a sly grin. "No…I think I'm good." She stepped back under the spray and let the water wet her hair.

Kyp swallowed. "Need someone to wash your back?"

"No thanks."

_'So that's how it's gonna be. Well two can play at this game.'_

Shedding his clothing, Kyp stepped into the shower and under the spray of water. He turned his back to Gennevi and went about washing away the stress of the day. The water felt wonderful, but it didn't distract him from his ultimate goal. He stood beneath the water for a bit longer before turning and stepping toward the woman behind him. He brought his body behind hers, barely a breath separating them, and reached over her shoulder for a bottle. Kyp pressed himself fully against her wet body, noticing her sharp intake of breath and grinning like a mad man. He stepped back, bottle in hand and returned to his own side.

_'Son of a Sith!'_ Gennevi cursed. He was toying with her and as much as she wanted to deny it, she was becoming increasingly turned on. Well…why fight it. With a sultry grin, Gennevi turned so she was facing Kyp's back. She took a moment to admire the view before tilting her head backward into the stream, letting out a low moan as the water massaged her scalp.

Kyp bit his lip as Gennevi's moan sounded in the enclosed space. Glancing casually over his shoulder, he was instantly mesmerized by the sight of her body. Water and soap suds slid off her shoulders and down over her breasts. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and caress that skin.

Gennevi knew exactly what she was doing. She ran her hands over her body in a vain attempt to wipe the suds away. Her fingers skimmed over her breasts, just avoiding her hardened nipples, and continued down her stomach. Every so often she would offer a gentle moan or hum of appreciation, just enough to drive Kyp insane. And he wasn't the only one, Gennevi was worked up, she wanted him and she wanted him now.

Kyp took a step forward and froze. He would not be the first to give in. It took every ounce of control he possessed not to touch her, to palm her breasts, to press his hardened length against her soft body. Instead he watched her hands as they caressed her body.

"Sure you don't need any help?" he choked out.

Gennevi opened her eyes and looked longingly at Kyp, her arousal spiking. "I suppose I could use your help." With great slowness she turned around to face the spray, grabbed a bottle of lotion off the shelf and handed it over her shoulder. "Could you get my back for me?" she asked coyly.

It took Kyp all of a second to cover the distance between them. He took the bottle from her, squeezed some of the lotion onto his palm and quickly set to work. His skin touched hers causing both of them to sigh audibly. Kyp's expert fingers massaged the muscles between her shoulders as his lips descended to her neck, kissing and nipping at the flesh there. His hands worked their way down her back to her waist where he grabbed hold and pulled her tighter against his chest.

Gennevi's head fell back against his chest as another moan escaped her lips. She arched her back, her chest jutting forward just begging to be touched. Kyp's hands slid up the panes of her stomach and cupped her breasts. She brought her arms up, feeding her fingers through his wet hair and ground her bottom against his length in response.

"Aren't you supposed to be…washing my back?" she panted.

Kyp swallowed hard. He wanted to take her right now and it would be so easy to do so, but he wanted to drag this out. They had all night and he intended to take his time, to explore, to worship. His fingers toyed with her nipples, working them in to small peaks, while his lips latched on to her pulse point. Gennevi's body tensed against him as another, louder moan sounded. Her right hand untangled itself from Kyp's hair and wormed its way between their bodies, grasping Kyp's erection firmly. His lips broke from her skin as he moaned her name.

Gennevi turned her head sideways and captured his lips as her hand began to pump him. "Mmm…like that?" she whispered against his lips. Kyp only nodded his head and kissed her soundly. Gennevi turned in his embrace, their bodies facing on another, but her hand never ceased its movement. She could feel Kyp's cock pulsing and growing harder under her fingers. It was an empowering feeling. "If you like that," she purred, "you'll love this." Without warning, Gennevi dropped to her knees and took Kyp's member into her mouth.

"Oh…Gods," Kyp gasped. He leaned forward slightly to brace his outstretched arm against the shower wall while his opposite hand weaved into Gennevi's wet hair. He didn't control her movements, but simply held on for dear life as her head bobbed up and down. Her lips were wrapped tightly around him and her tongue was tracing an unseen pattern against his flesh. Kyp gasped her name as he hit the back of her throat.

Gennevi hummed softly, listening as Kyp gasped at the new sensation. She sat back for a moment, letting his cock slide from her lips.

"Don't stop. Please…don't stop."

Gennevi smiled wickedly; she had no plans of stopping any time soon. She wrapped her hand around his flesh while her tongue toyed with the tip. She traced the slit with the tip of her tongue and listened to Kyp hiss and moan. She could feel his leg muscles tensing where her hand grasped his thigh for support.

"Gennevi…s-stop."

That was not what she was expecting to hear. Letting him slide from her mouth with _pop_, Gennevi sat back on her heels and looked up at Kyp through heavy lidded eyes. "A minute ago you begged me not to stop."

Kyp shook his head to clear the erotic fog that had settled. He reach down and grabbed Gennevi under her arms, hauling her to her feet before pressing her back against the wall and attacking her lips. His hands dropped to her waist, sliding them to her backside, and pulling her body against his. She gasped as his hardness pressed against her intimately.

"I stopped you," he murmured while kissing across her jaw line, "because I was too close."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"I wanted to be inside you when I come." Kyp smirked and kissed her hard.

Gennevi nearly lost her mind. There was something about hearing the always-composed, always-in-control-of-his-emotions Jedi Master talk dirty to her that just set her on edge. She grabbed his face and kissed him until she could barely breathe. Kyp's hand moved from her butt to grasp the back of her thigh, lifting her leg in the process. Gennevi rolled with it, wrapping her right leg behind Kyp's knee and gasping as two of his fingers pushed inside her.

"You're so wet."

"Well…we are in a shower."

Kyp laughed, the sound reverberating against the walls and bouncing back at the couple. "I don't think the shower has anything to do with it," he growled, working his fingers in and out at an agonizingly slow pace. "I think it has more to do with my hands on you…my body pressed against yours…my fingers stroking you." He tapped his thumb against her clit and smiled at her sudden intake of breath. "You're thinking about me being inside you."

"Yes." Her muscles were tensing, she knew her orgasm was quickly approaching. Kyp knew it too, whether he could sense it with the Force or he could merely read her body that well.

"Are you gonna come for me?" She closed her eyes, her head shaking stiffly as she concentrated on his movements. Kyp watched her face for the telltale signs, pumping his fingers faster and rolling his thumb across her bundle of nerves. When he noticed the muscles in her neck tighten, Kyp pushed his finger deep and curled them forward.

Gennevi wanted to scream, but her voice was nowhere to be found. She gasped as the tingling feeling rose up from her toes and spread throughout her body. She was vaguely aware of Kyp's fingers disappearing as she rode the waves of her orgasm, and she missed them immediately. She grabbed at his shoulders, her nails digging into the flesh there as the feeling subsided. Before she could find her voice again, Kyp thrust deep inside her waiting warmth. The sudden intrusion spurred another, smaller orgasm for Gennevi.

Kyp's head fell on her shoulder. "Oh Gods…you feel absolutely amazing." His hips moved gingerly and both parties gasped at the sensation. Slowly their pace gained speed as their hands explored each other's bodies. Their lips seemed to be eternally drawn to one another, their moans being swallowed up by their partner.

"Harder," Gennevi panted. Kyp was quick to oblige, pushing inside her roughly before withdrawing almost completely.

Kyp held up the pace as long as possible, but eventually the all too familiar sensation began to build low in his gut. "Gennevi…can't hold on."

She brought her lips to his ear and bit the lobe lightly. "Let go, Kyp. Come for me." After a few seconds, Gennevi still felt that Kyp was holding back. She raised her leg a little higher and dug her heel into his thigh while at the same time biting his ear a little harder. That combination was enough to send Kyp spiraling out of control. He thrust inside her a few more times-harder, shallower thrusts—before his entire body tensed. He growled her name, propping himself up against the wall so his weight wouldn't crush her.

Gennevi kissed him softly, cupping his cheek in her palm. "That was—"

"I know," he sighed. They stayed like that for a few moments before Kyp unwillingly stepped back from her. "I need a nap."

"I need a shower," she laughed, turning her body toward the spray that by some miracle was still deliciously hot.

"That sounds good," Kyp agreed. He reached over her shoulder once again for a bottle. "I'll get your back."

X-X-X-X

A few hours later, Kyp and Gennevi had finally moved to the bed. They lay in each other's arms for a while, talking about everything and nothing before he started nodding off. Gennevi waited until Kyp was soundly asleep to untangle herself. She took a minute to study his face, so relaxed in his slumber. He looked years younger now when the weight of the galaxy- or at least the future of a minor world in it- wasn't bearing down on him. Grabbing a robe off the back of the 'fresher door, Gennevi stepped out of the bedroom into the sitting room and palmed the door shut behind her. Making sure the door was completely closed, she crossed the sitting room and took a seat in front of the in-suite comm station. Quickly familiarizing herself with the somewhat older technology, Gennevi sent a message through a local subspace transceiver to Ossus. Several moments later, the call was forwarded through the academy's comm center to Leyla's personal frequency.

"Dad?" a tired voice answered.

"Leyla, it's Gennevi."

"Gennevi? What's wrong?" Immediately the girl's voice went from tired to alert and worried.

Gennevi cursed herself; she hadn't even thought about what time it was on Ossus when she'd commed. Leyla wasn't expecting her call for a few days, so of course she would assume something had gone awry. "Nothing is wrong. Sorry about the time…I'm not even sure what time it is for you."

"Just after twenty-hundred," Leyla answered. "I must have nodded off."

"Sorry to wake you, but I wanted to give you a sit-rep. Your father and I will be headed back to Ossus in the morning."

"What?" Leyla nearly shouted, then brought her voice back to a normal level. "I thought you were going to be gone for at least a week!"

Gennevi rubbed her forehead. "So did we. Long story short, Denid's older daughter abdicated her claim to the throne. The younger one will be taking over. Problem solved, no further need for Jedi intervention."

Leyla was speechless. "Wow…okay. I'll let my mom and Aunt Mara know in the morning." Her mind was suddenly very awake. "I've got to call my grandparents and tell them to get moving."

Gennevi smiled at the sound of mild panic in Leyla's voice. "We won't be leaving for at least 12 hours or so. King Denid has invited us to breakfast in the morning and I'm sure he'll want to discuss a few things with Kyp before we take off. Honestly, we may not leave here until midday."

Leyla let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I'll comm Coruscant and tell them to get moving as soon as possible. They should make it here in plenty of time. Thanks again, Gennevi." With that she severed the connection and stared down at her comlink. If her grandparents left Coruscant within the hour they would be on Ossus by seventeen hundred tomorrow. Hopefully her grandfather could push his ship's temperamental hyperdrive and shave an hour off that time. Now she just needed to get all the details for the party sorted out. This called for some major scheming.

Hopefully neither her mother nor Aunt Mara were in bed just yet.


	5. Chapter 5

**Of Nexus and Nobles: ****A Mission of Great Importance  
>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Sadly I don't own Star Wars. I would be so much happier (and richer) if I did.  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Colonel Gennevi Lassiter agreed to spend her month long medical leave on Ossus with Kyp. She had no idea her short vacations would be so….eventful. AU K/OC, mentions of L/M, H/L, J/J  
><strong>Setting:<strong> 43 ABY, Ossus

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

If Jaina was excited to see her parents and twin brother, it was nothing to how Naviin felt. The anticipation was bubbling from him in the Force, and he was bouncing on the balls of his feet, his hand clasped in Jag's as the three of them and Leyla waited for the _Millennium Falcon_ to set down in the temple hangar.

Sometimes, Jaina felt bad that Leyla had spent her childhood so close to her grandparents and uncle, while Naviin was growing up on Ossus. But then again, Ossus had its own advantages- like real weather, open spaces, fresh air, to name just a few- that it sort of evened out, given the relative frequency with which she still managed to see her family.

When the landing ramp was fully lowered, Naviin took off and met Han halfway. His grandfather swung him up into his arms. "And how's my favorite grandson?"

Naviin smiled broadly. "I lost a tooth," he declared, as though that simple fact fully answered the question. "See?" he pointed at the gap and poked the end of his tongue through it before giggling softly and throwing his arms around Han.

Jacen and Leia followed behind, smiling at Naviin's excitement, though Jaina could see a somberness in Jacen's eyes as he clasped Leyla's shoulder and spoke to her in soft tones before hugging her tightly. After setting Naviin down again, Han and Leia went to greet their granddaughter and inquire after her wellbeing after the events of two and a half weeks prior.

"And how are you?" Jacen stood arm's length away from Jaina for a moment before leaning in and embracing her and kissing her cheek, before exchanging a friendly hug with Jag.

"I'm doing quite well," she assured him. "_And_ I've been hearing some rumors about _you_, my dear little brother…"

"Oh?"

She grinned. "Something about an impending elevation to Jedi Master…"

Her twin actually blushed slightly. "Ah- I was hoping to tell you myself. I was afraid you'd be… er…"

"Jealous?" He shrugged. "Jacen," she sighed, "you've been uncompromisingly devoted to the Jedi Order since the end of the war; I've been a part-time Jedi at best, fitting it in where I can around corralling my children. Believe me, I understand."

He hugged her again before picking up Naviin so that he too could be awed by the incident of the lost tooth.

Han and Leia stepped forward to embrace their daughter. "Thanks for coming," Jaina said with her father's arms wrapped around her. "And sorry about the rush. We thought Kyp would be off-planet longer than two days."

Han grinned devilishly. "Not a problem, Sweetheart. It gave me a chance to try out the _Falcon's_ updated hyperdrive."

"And how well did that work?" Jacen called from the sidelines.

Han turned to his son with feigned anger. "That blow out wasn't my fault."

"It never is."

Leia shook her head in amusement at the interaction between father and son. "I still can't believe the situation was resolved so quickly," she said diverting the conversation. She had received Luke's short message about the proceedings as soon as the _Falcon_ had reverted to real space inside the Auril Sector. "I suppose we underestimated Kyp's diplomacy skills."

Jaina smirked. "From what I understand, Kyp's skills didn't have much to do with the resolution."

Leia quirked an eyebrow, but before she would inquire further Han interrupted. "So, we're surprising the kid, huh?"

Jaina rolled her eyes. "_Dad_, you can't call Kyp 'kid' anymore- he's fifty. Surely _that_ merits finally being an adult, right?"

Her father didn't look convinced, but he shrugged and smiled. "So, where is the birthday boy, anyway?" Leyla snickered. "What?"

"They should be back this evening from Velmor," Jaina said, a smirk threatening to overcome her.

Han and Leia started to nod but then paused, glanced at each other, and the turned back to Jaina. "They?" Han asked carefully, looking around at Leyla as though to make sure he hadn't simply imagined her presence. "Kyp take on a second apprentice or something?"

Jaina carefully sought the right words. "Kyp, ah… he's with a… friend."

"Yeah," Leyla snickered again, "a _girl_friend."

Jacen almost dropped Naviin- who giggled as Jag hastily pulled him back into his own arms. "A what?"

Jag scowled around at the Solos- Jacen was staring in shock, Han was trying desperately not to burst into laughter, and Leia just looked politely bemused. "You all are awful," he accused. "Why shouldn't Kyp have a meaningful relationship?"

Naviin, not really understanding, but imitating his father's displeasure, crossed his arms over his chest and gave his best frown around the crowd. "I like Evi," he declared.

This drew a whole new bout of laughter from Han, but he controlled himself quickly. "Evi, huh?"

"Gennevi," Leyla clarified. "Gennevi Lassiter."

"_Colonel_ Gennevi Lassiter," Jaina added with a wink.

"Oho!" Jacen exclaimed. "Military type, huh? Well, they're all kinds of trouble…"

"Hey!" Jaina said.

"Hey," Jag scowled.

"Hey," Han frowned, and then paused. "Well, you're probably right about that one."

X-X-X-X

Kyp woke up mildly disoriented in the cramped accommodations and wondering what had happened to their luxurious suite… with that big bed… and the gigantic shower… and for that matter, what had happened to Gennevi herself?

And then his mind caught up with his somewhat sleep-deprived state- perhaps they should have focused more on a full, restful night's sleep, rather than quick naps in between, ah… _encounters_- and he remembered that he was back on _The Mediator_ and that he and Gennevi were heading back to Ossus after their twenty-four hour stint on Velmor.

Pushing the grogginess from his brain with effort, he rolled off the narrow, hard cot that was so disappointingly opposite their lovely bed from the night prior, threw on his brown robe, and went in search of his traveling companion.

Predictably, the fighter-pilot colonel was in the cockpit, sitting in the captain's chair. They were in hyperspace, there was nothing to do save pull them _out_ of hyperspace when the time came, and the protective tinting obscured the view of the streaking star lines through the transparisteel. Nevertheless, Gennevi was sitting there, head resting in one hand, paying no attention whatsoever to his newly-arrived presence, and with a deep sense of brooding about her.

Kyp made sure to make a bit of noise as he covered the few steps towards the chair, but she didn't turn until his hands snaked around the back of the seat and came to rest on her shoulders, massaging gently as he smiled down at the top of her fair head. Her blonde hair, which she had kept loose during much of her leave from the fleet, letting it hang down between her shoulder blades, was once again pinned up in a low but messy bun; he wondered if just being in a cockpit made her automatically revert to military mindset.

"Hey, sleepy," she murmured softly up at him, smiling faintly though he could see the distraction still working behind her eyes. "Nice nap?"

"It lacked a key component," she raised an inquisitive brow. "You." He winked. "How much longer?"

She glanced over at the timer, though he would have bet anything that, after years of flying and fighting, of adhering to strict military schedules, she could have made a surprisingly accurate estimation from her own internal sense of time. "Just over two hours."

Which meant that he'd been asleep for just over five. On the verge of apologizing for leaving her, he paused and realized that she'd enjoyed the time alone to think. He hesitated a moment, but knew nothing would be gained from pretending that nothing was wrong. "You missing it?"

"Hm?"

"Starfighters; combat."

She exhaled slowly and slumped down in her seat a bit. "Just wondering how things will change when I go back. Admiral Darklighter might not be so keen on me staying in at all, once I tell him that it won't be for more than a year or two."

"He seems to value your abilities quite a bit. I'm sure he'll take what he can get."

Gennevi let out a soft chuckle at that and shrugged. "Perhaps; we'll see." She paused and glanced up at him again, and he gave her shoulders one last squeeze before taking up the co-pilot's chair and angling it around to face her. "This will all work out, won't it? I mean… this is real, right? Not just a couple of middle-aged workaholics reveling in a break from reality? I'm not going to return to the Fourth and then find that, after a couple of obligatory 'hi, how are you?' messages, we never hear from each other again?"

He stared at her wordlessly for a long moment, completely taken aback. He'd not felt this level of confusion from her since the second night they'd been on Ossus, when they finally had the 'what exactly are we doing here?' conversation. "_I_ certainly don't intend to let that happen; do you?" She shook her head. "Well, if there's one thing that _both_ of us are better at than being middle-aged workaholics, it's being stubborn, so I have complete faith that we'll each find the other a bit harder to shake than that."

The dry humor in his tone had the hoped-for effect of breaking through her melancholy reflection, and she smirked and relaxed. "Is that your oh-so-powerful Jedi Master analysis?"

"No," he returned seriously, leaning forward and staring intently into her eyes. "It is the analysis of someone who has become utterly bewitched, entranced, and ensnared by you," he murmured softly as he kissed the corner of her mouth. "Your intelligence," he kissed her cheek, "your wit," he trailed his lips across to the sensitive spot below her ear, and she shivered, "your beauty, your body…" and he kissed her full on the mouth passionately.

And he pulled her over into his lap, and they spent much of the remainder of the flight curled up like that, talking softly and enjoying time spent alone, and without the chance of interruption.

X-X-X-X

Leyla had sensed the arrival of a familiar presence an hour earlier, and smiled broadly down at her dinner as she felt him strolling over to her. "Hey there," he murmured as he hugged her quickly but warmly from behind before sitting backwards on the bench, angled to face her. "How have you been, little 'coz?"

Ben was nearly eighteen, but still had a boyish mischievousness about him that made Leyla smile as she reached over and squeezed his hand tightly. "Happy to be alive," she assured him sardonically. "But aside from that little mishap…" she shrugged. "Things have been going well, I love working with dad, I'm really learning a lot."

Her cousin grinned. "What's this I've been hearing from my mother- incessantly- about Kyp having a, uh… _special_ friend?"

She laughed lightly. "Yeah, how do you like that? We go spend a month flying with the Fourth, and dad bags a girlfriend in the deal? The CO of the squadron, no less."

His look was suddenly serious. "And how do you feel about that?"

"They really like each other," she murmured. "It's good seeing dad actually focusing on his personal life beyond anything concerning me."

"Leyla," he peered at her intently, "how do you _feel _about it?"

She blinked and then exhaled heavily. "I don't know. I mean, I'm not… I don't know… having one of those 'dad suddenly doesn't have time for me anymore' moments or anything. It's just weird, you know?" He nodded. "At first, it was sort of cute and funny," she smiled wryly. "It was so obvious that he had a thing for her, but I think it sort of freaked him out more than anything and… well, I wasn't exactly going to fish for details."

"Understandable."

"Anyway, I think it was sort of a last minute thing, the actual… getting together."

Ben frowned thoughtfully. "Mom said that she's on a medical leave?" he asked curiously. "Gennevi, is it?"

She nodded. "Yeah, some internal ocular injury. I guess she isn't going to be attached to a starfighter unit anymore because of it; mom feels a bit guilty, they were flying together when it happened, but it was Colo- Gennevi's decision. She seems a bit chagrined at herself, but I don't think she blames mom for any of it." A sly smirk touched her lips. "Not that the two of them haven't had their share of tension since mom showed up with the Fleet."

The red-haired teen cocked a brow, but his question was put off by the arrival of Mara, who sat on the bench opposite them. Ben twisted around to sit properly in his seat and smiled brightly at his mother. "Hi, mom."

"Hey," she smiled slyly and then winked at Leyla. "Did you tell your cousin about Gennevi?"

"Aunt Mara," Leyla sighed, "you are such a gossip monger."

Mara blinked in an expression of faux-hurt- before her smile turned decidedly wicked. "A gossip monger? You really think so?" She sighed and then something caught her attention from across the room. "Oh, there's your father," she said to Ben, standing again. "You two can join us when you're sufficiently caught up on whatever teenage Jedi gossip you have to share." But after only two steps, she stopped and turned thoughtfully back to her great-niece. "Say- Leyla- did you and Jaina ever have that talk…?"

Leyla stared at her in horror, utter mortification on her face. Ben glanced between them interestedly. "Talk? What's going on, is everything alright?"

"Oh," Mara commented idly, "just fine. Just that, you know… _boy talk_."

Leyla groaned. "Mara…"

"Leyla's been getting cozy with fighter jocks, from what I hear…"

Ben choked on air and coughed as Leyla's head hit the table with a firm thud. And with a last wicked chuckle, Mara strolled casually across the dining hall to enjoy a quiet meal with her husband.

Neither said anything for a long minute as Ben recovered and Leyla just shook her head and hid her beet-red face. Finally though, Ben found his voice and spoke with a hardened resolution. "Do I need to go and beat somebody up?"

"Ben…" she muttered.

"Because I'll do it!" he vowed harshly.

With a sigh, she finally sat back upright and stared at him, nonplussed. "What are you, my protective older brother, out to defend my honor?"

"Apparently you need one."

"Oh, stop," she bit in annoyance. "Nothing happened. We were friends, that's all." He gave her a knowing look. "Okay, we were… really _good_ friends?" His eyes widened and she laughed at his shock and smacked his arm. "Not _that_ good of friends, stop it! It was a perfectly innocent and sweet relationship… more or less..."

Ben coughed again and then scowled at her mischievous smirk. "Now you're just trying to mess with my head." She shrugged innocently. He eyed her calculatingly and she met his stare evenly. "First kiss, huh?"

A faint tinge of pink rose in her cheeks, but she couldn't stop the abashed little smile from creeping across her face. "Maybe." She grinned cheekily up at him. "Not that you'd know _anything_ about such things; Ben Skywalker, embracer of the Jedi tenets of old, the image of propriety and perfection…"

"Of course," his eyes were wide and he spread his hands in a gesture of mock confusion, "what else would I be?"

X-X-X-X

Gennevi finally dragged herself out of Kyp's lap and out of Kyp's arms as the timer counted down closer to their reversion point. He pouted a bit and she rolled her eyes at his attempt to be too cute to refuse- and truth be told, he very nearly was. But it would not do for them to crash into a planet, dive straight down a black hole, or any number of other horrific happenstances that could occur with a malfunctioning hyperdrive- so she resisted his boyish charm… for now.

Kyp was not so easily dissuaded, however. Apparently realizing a bit belatedly that their time together- just the two of them- was coming to a close, he fought for the proper words to say. He certainly wasn't sorry to see his daughter again- her traitorous scheming with Jaina and Mara aside- but interruption was all too easy in a place like the Jedi temple.

"Hey," he stood again and hovered over her shoulder, "I just want to let you know how much I appreciate you coming on this trip with me; especially considering that we did _not_ expect it to be so quick and easy." Somewhat surprised at the sudden seriousness of his tone, she turned her chair around to better see his face, and smiled up at him in acknowledgement. "I've certainly had a marvelous time- and the times _not_ spent in the shower in our palace suite have been alright too…"

Gennevi was on her feet in an instant and she cuffed him lightly upside the head while he chuckled mischievously. When she turned to go back to the control board, however, he seized her by one wrist and around the waist, and pulled her flush against him, a sudden fire smoldering in his eyes. "I _am_ serious though," he whispered, "about all of it. I'll be so sorry to part ways in another… what, ten days?... but the anticipation of what we'll have together, that will certainly be more than enough to keep me going through these boring old Jedi missions…"

Grudgingly admitting to herself that she was helpless against his deep sincerity, against the passion in his eyes, she allowed herself to be coaxed into another kiss, one deep and full of meaning, full of promises… one hand cupped her face gently, the other still slung around her waist, and she found herself parting her lips slightly and letting her tongue trace along his bottom lip, reveling in the quick intake she elicited before he deepened the kiss and plundered her mouth with fervor… his other hand slid up her body, caressing lightly through the fabric of her tunic, playfully fiddling with the fastenings at the base of her throat…

A sudden blaring alarm flooded their hypersensitive senses, and Kyp pulled away from her with a violent curse, swearing in a way she'd never even heard from the uncouth maintenance workers in her enlisted days.

"…son of a… every single _kriffing_ time… I'm going to _kill_…"

"Kyp!" she tilted his face back to hers, forcing him to meet her eyes. "It's the hyperdrive warning; reversion in sixty… fifty-three seconds," she amended.

He stared at her uncomprehendingly for ten more seconds before understanding flickered in his eyes, darkened with lust and desire, and his expression cooled off into one of mildly abashed resignation.

"Oh… right."

X-X-X-X

Luke wanted to have a relaxing day. He planned on reviewing the reports that Vulcor's group had forwarded to him from Corellia—there was something about Sal-Solo's abrupt change of heart that warranted further investigation. He also needed to complete a supply order for the academy and get it to Coruscant before the mess hall ran out of supplies again. He really didn't want to be around if everyone was forced to survive on ration bars for a few days until supplies arrived. Sure, the Jedi were keepers of the peace, but even they had limits.

That was how Luke had planned to spend his day, but alas his plans were for naught. Somehow he had gotten roped into this whole party mess, being given the job of distracting Kyp while everyone else gathered for the party. He'd tried so hard to stay out of the trio's harebrained scheme. It was bad for his health, and that was the excuse he was sticking to. And yet here he was. He blamed Mara—his wife could be very…persuasive…when she needed to be. With a sly grin in remembrance of Mara's powers of persuasion , Luke turned back to his computer. He managed to cross a few tasks off his list before he felt Kyp's presence moving toward him. There was a brief knock at his office door before the younger man entered.

"Ah, Master Durron," Luke greeted. "Welcome back. I trust your return trip was pleasant."

Kyp nodded. "Uneventful and surprisingly quick."

Luke nodded, looking behind Kyp. "Where's Gennevi?" Of course, he already knew where the colonel had snuck off to. She had undoubtedly provided Kyp with some sort of excuse to leave his presence while she joined the others in the Garden Level.

"She returned to her quarters to freshen up before we grab some dinner."

"I won't keep you long then." Luke rose from behind his desk and walked around the front of it. "Would you mind joining me for a short walk? Too much time spent behind a desk is wreaking havoc on these old joints."

"Of course." Kyp stepped back and allowed Luke to pass in front of him before following him into the hallway. "I received your summons upon landing. I assume you'd like a debriefing?"

Luke nodded shortly. "Give me the abridged version. I will expect a full report soon, but for now the basics will be fine."

Kyp let out a sigh, attempting to decide which points were necessary and which could be left out for now. This had been such a unique situation, he really had no idea where to begin. "As you know, King Denid has two daughters, both of whom had in-laws who were vying for control of the throne. The first few hours were…exhausting. Both sides argued their points, but when the debate devolved into petty name calling I put an end to it. I advised the councilors of both families to put their arguments in to writing and I would review them that evening. Both sides grudgingly agreed, but before that could be done, Denid's eldest daughter, Nadhia, came to me. She believed her son was Force-sensitive and wished to have her suspicions validated." At this, Luke's eyebrows shot up in question, but he allowed Kyp to continue uninterrupted.

"I met the boy and tested his abilities. He is strong in the Force and—with the proper training—will make a fine Jedi some day."

"And what was Nadhia's reaction to this?" Luke asked as the pair turned a corner.

"She seemed almost relieved. She abdicated her claim to the throne almost immediately so she and her husband and Lorac can move to Coruscant."

"That seems like a rather rash decision," Luke warned. He worried that such a decision would later be questioned and lead to further complications.

"I thought so as well, but Nadhia seems… relieved to remove her son as the heir apparent. I advised her to discuss the matter with her family before any permanent decisions were made. Obviously, the family was able to come to some sort of agreement. I recommended to Nadhia that she contact the Temple once they are settled on Coruscant, so the boy can begin training."

Luke nodded in amusement. Why couldn't all diplomatic missions be completed so easily? There would be far less need for Jedi intervention if that were the case. "And how did the rest of the court handle the news?"

"We weren't present for the…confrontation," Kyp smiled, "but from what the family told us later, a few people were upset, but most of them were excited about the prospect of the boy's future. Denid has great respect for the Jedi. Knowing his grandson will be joining our ranks has made him very proud."

Luke smiled and laid a hand on Kyp's shoulder. They were approaching the entrance to the Garden Level and, like the farmboy he would always be, Luke had to quash the sense of excitement that was pitted in his stomach. He didn't want to be responsible for setting off any warning bells with the younger master, especially after his wife, niece, and great-niece had gone to such lengths to surprise the man.

"I'm glad everything went smoothly. How did Gennevi enjoy the experience?" he asked, pushing their conversation to a topic that he knew would distract Kyp.

Kyp fought a grin as he thought about the many _experiences_ that Gennevi had surely enjoyed. "She seemed to take everything in stride. Though I think she—" Kyp's sentence was cut off as he was hit with a veritable wall of excitement, like a wave emanating from the gardens.

His gaze shifted from Luke to the room in front of him: the long table set up just off the stone walkway and covered in food; the colored strings of lights that wrapped around the pillars and various plants and trees; bright but muted music played in the background. And then there was the suspicious amount of people who shouldn't have been on this planet. When had Jacen returned to Ossus? And Ben? And what in the nine Corellian hells were Han and Leia doing here? And suddenly it all clicked.

"Son of sith…"


	6. Chapter 6

**Of Nexus and Nobles: ****A Mission of Great Importance  
>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Sadly I don't own Star Wars. I would be so much happier (and richer) if I did.  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Colonel Gennevi Lassiter agreed to spend her month long medical leave on Ossus with Kyp. She had no idea her short vacations would be so….eventful. AU K/OC, mentions of L/M, H/L, J/J  
><strong>Setting:<strong> 43 ABY, Ossus  
><strong>AN:** Here it is, the final chapter! I want to take a moment to thank Lexi for indulging in my wild ideas and letting me coauthor this lovely piece with her. It's been a joy and hopefully we'll do it again some time!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

A bit pink-faced, Kyp stared around at those assembled. Han was grinning entirely shamelessly, and Leia smiled in a mixture of resignation at Han's giddiness and welcoming encouragement directed towards Kyp, who continued to stand dumbfounded in the doorway. Jacen and Ben were with them, looking mildly apologetic about the whole thing. In contrast, Mara, Jaina, and Leyla looked delightedly devious, though Jag maintained his usual straight-faced demeanor.

Before Kyp could remember how to work his voice again, a small blur shot forward from behind a decorated dwarf Kaha tree. Naviin planted himself in front of Kyp, arms in the air, waiting to be picked up; Kyp did so, noting the pinkish stain around his mouth, undoubtedly from copious amounts of muja juice, and Naviin stared seriously into his eyes.

"Happy birthday, Kyp," he said quietly.

And much to Kyp's alarm, for wholly new reasons from the surprise itself, Kyp found his throat tightening and, yet more terrifyingly, a faint prickle was starting behind his eyes. "Thank you, Navi," he whispered, not trusting his voice to function properly at normal volume. "It was very sweet of you to remember."

The four-year-old hugged him with short little arms, and even planted a kiss on Kyp's stubble-covered cheek. Kyp patted his back and held him close for a moment while he mastered his sudden outbreak of emotion, and then set Naviin back on the ground, and he quickly darted over to Ben and began chattering away- and the silence was broken and everyone laughed and called 'Happy birthday!' and chatted to each other while waiting for Kyp to recover and join the party.

The Jedi Master just shook his head. "I think," he murmured ruefully, "that I've been betrayed."

Luke chuckled by his side. "I'm sorry; Mara, er… _coerced_ me into it. Yes- coerced."

Kyp cocked a brow but didn't ask. "Not what I meant, actually." His eyes scanned those assembled, looking for that one out-of-place figure- besides himself- in this Skywalker-Solo-Fel gathering. And sure enough, standing a bit to the side of everyone else, biting her lip and looking mildly apprehensive, Gennevi was watching him. Shaking his head, he slowly approached where she stood just in front of a D'ian orchid vine display, noting the subtle fragrance of the plant.

"You, my fair lady," he regarded her from arm's length, "are far sneakier than I ever imagined."

She opened her mouth, possibly to explain or excuse herself, but Leyla was suddenly at Kyp's elbow. "Actually, dad," she looked humbly repentant- Kyp wasn't fooled one iota, "Gennevi didn't know what we were up to. I just asked her to let me know when you were headed back from Velmor. In fact, I practically had to _drag_ her here, after you went to find Uncle Luke."

A brow rose slowly. "Uh-huh," he deadpanned, looking between Gennevi's pointedly stoic face and Leyla's earnest one. "That's your story and you're stickin' to it?"

Gennevi blinked once. "You're the Jedi Master, Leyla's your daughter; surely you'd know if she's lying to you?"

Suspecting that Gennevi remembered with sparkling clarity their conversation from some six weeks prior regarding Leyla's ability of holding her emotions close- thus making her a keen sabacc player- Kyp just smiled in defeat. "But of course," he said graciously. "My apologies, Gennevi, Leyla."

His daughter- now radiating success, much to his chagrin- beamed and skipped off lightly, leaving the two by themselves. Finding that he didn't particularly care whether Gennevi _had_ been part of the scheming or not, Kyp kissed her softly and then drew her into a gentle embrace.

"Happy birthday, Kyp," she murmured in his ear. And, peering over his shoulder, she saw Leyla turn, possibly sensing her father's inattention.

And with two quick winks and hastily concealed grins, the scheme was complete.

Gennevi's carefully adopted expression faltered, however, at Kyp's next words. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Ben and the Solos." He peered at her in concern as she went slightly wide-eyed. "What's wrong?"

"I- that's _Han Solo_," she muttered under her breath. "And _Princess Leia_. I mean… they're practically the most famous people in the galaxy…"

"Yeah, right behind Luke Skywalker, who you've already met and survived," he pointed out drily. "And, I mean… you _did_ realize that they're Leyla's grandparents, right?" She flushed. "Come on…" he pulled her across the room to where Han and Leia were chatting idly with Mara and Ben. Leia turned, sensing their approach, and when Han noticed and turned around as well, Kyp was suddenly wary of the mischievous gleam in his eye. "Han, Leia- this is Gennevi Lassiter…"

"_Colonel_ Gennevi Lassiter," Han corrected, grinning cheekily at her.

Gennevi went a bit pink, but held her own. "Not for another ten days, _sir_."

Han's smile broadened. "She's got sass, I like that. And Gennevi- can I call you Gennevi?- don't call me sir." He gestured over his shoulder generally towards where Jag stood with Jaina and Jacen. "I spent years breaking junior over there of the habit." While he was watching, Jag leaned over to murmur something in Jaina's ear, and she laughed softly and kissed him quickly. Han scowled. "Haven't broken him of _that_ habit yet though…"

"Han, darling," Leia said with gentle patience, "they've been married for fourteen years. Do you think Naviin came about by wishful thinking or-?"

"So," Han broke in and turned quickly back towards Kyp and Gennevi, "how long have you been with the Defense Fleet, Gennevi?"

"Twenty-four years," she answered succinctly. "Commissioned for eighteen."

Han whistled. "Long time; then again, you'll probably need the patience developed by long years of that 'hurry up and wait' attitude to handle dealing with someone like Kyp…"

"Believe me," she responded smartly, "the first month of our acquaintance made _that_ fact quite obvious."

Kyp scowled heavily as Han burst out laughing. "Oh, kid," he clasped Kyp's shoulder, "you better watch it; she's going to keep you on your toes."

"_Kid_?" Gennevi mouthed silently to Kyp. He just shook his head in resignation.

X-X-X-X

After a couple of hours in which everyone ate, mingled, joked and laughed and, finally, pulled out a massive glaze cake decorated to commemorate Kyp turning half-a-century, the mood of the gathering shifted a little. Someone dimmed the lighting in the Garden Level, making the soft lights decorating many of the plants stand out all the more as they shimmered around the room. Some slow and soft orchestral music was playing- Kyp suspected that someone had done some nifty slicing work into the temple's rarely-used intercom system.

Standing on his own beside an Alderaanian hydenock tree, he took a moment to gaze contentedly around the room. Luke and Mara were just slipping back in, after having left a half hour earlier to handle some temple business; Han and Leia were sitting on a low bench, Naviin between them and talking animatedly to his grandparents; Gennevi was conversing with Jaina and Jag- indeed, the chiss-raised young man was much more open and chatty than usual, and Kyp suspected that Han had tricked him into imbibing a bit more gizer ale than Jag cared to admit.

Kyp sensed a familiar presence approaching, and he half-turned to see his daughter meandering over to stand beside him, joining his perusal over the assembled family. "Happy birthday, dad," she said softly.

"Thanks, sweetheart."

She gave him a sidelong glance. "You aren't… mad?"

"Of course not."

"Because…" she looked down and twisted her hands a bit in worry, "you know, I never wanted to make you feel uncomfortable or anything…" She sighed. "I guess we didn't really realize just how much you wanted to avoid the whole 'birthday' thing until you ran off to Velmor… but we thought, you know, if it was just family…"

It was on the very tip of Kyp's tongue to point out that this was her family, not his… but the words couldn't come. From the moment he'd found out about Leyla, from the moment more than five years later when she'd found out about _him_… he knew that his place among them would be hovering and undefined, an extra appendage to the Solo-Skywalker-Fel clan. But as much as he might try to deny it… they were more than that to him, and he was more than that to them.

Han's playful banter with Gennevi, like a father or an older brother vetting a new girlfriend… his closeness with Jaina, the bond of mentorship with Luke… and little Naviin, who he had been prepared to love as a son, and still loved as a nephew at the very least- Naviin's painfully innocent ignorance of all the plotting and scheming that had gone into this gathering, offering his simple and whole-hearted well-wishes…

Maybe his relationship with them was not definable, but it was very real. Yes, this was his family too.

"Dad?" Leyla was peering up at him concernedly. "Are you alright?"

He smiled a bit distantly and put a hand on her shoulder. "You bet. You know, Leyla, as kids go- you aren't half-bad."

"Thanks," she replied sardonically. "Though what measure of comparison you're using, I have no idea…"

"Don't get lippy," he shot back playfully, and then drew his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "And no," he murmured softly, "I'm not mad. Your old man is stubborn- sometimes, it just takes a bit of adamant resilience to counter that and make me see reason."

Leyla smirked. "Oh, is that how Gennevi did it?"

"Absolutely," he readily admitted. They both watched as Jaina and Jag seemed to bid Gennevi farewell and then duck off, arm in arm, looking decidedly up to no good.

"On second thought," Leyla conceded, "maybe we shouldn't have let grandpa bring the ale." Kyp snorted in laughter. "Better go to Gennevi before she starts to feel neglected."

"Yes, ma'am. Hey," he pulled her into a quick but tight hug, "thank you."

She smiled a bit bemusedly. "For what?"

Her father shrugged. "For being a good daughter- and a good apprentice. For this," he gestured around the room.

"Any time," she murmured, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. "Now save the rest of all this sentimentality for your girlfriend."

And he grinned and obliged.

Leyla smiled indulgently as her father crept over behind Gennevi and swept her around to kiss her lightly, and turned and glanced around for her cousin Ben. Navigating more by sensation and presence than by sight, given the dim lighting and the plethora of obstacles in the form of all manner of trees, shrubs and flowers, some beautiful, some pungent, some dangerous, she wound her way around the decorated Garden Level until she reached Ben on the far side.

"You enjoying yourself?" she asked, dancing up to him and spinning playfully in time with the soft music. He grinned and took her hand, twirling her around once more before they sat down, laughing, on a bench nearby.

"Yeah," he sat back and crossed his arms, eyes darting around and peering through the gaps of foliage that accorded them a view from their otherwise isolated alcove. "I think we're going to outstay our welcome soon though," his blue eyes twinkled, "It looks like we're getting to the mushy part of the evening." Indeed, the lights had been dimmed further and slow and quiet music had set a new tone in the Garden Level, and their relatives seemed to be pairing off to either dance, or talk intimately in a corner. Though that did beg the question of where her little brother was…

Leyla was just on the verge of getting up to locate her wayward brother when she sensed and then saw her uncle approaching, Naviin's hand tucked in his, both looking distinctly mischievous, though Jacen's sly intentions were far more under wraps than the four-year-old's at his side, who was giggling and grinning broadly.

"Hey," Jacen winked, "we're sneaking off, care to join?"

His niece cocked a brow. "And just where are you going?"

"Kitchens. Time for a snack."

She stared. "As if Navi hasn't had enough sugar tonight!" Her brother shook his head adamantly and crossed his arms over his chest. "Anyway, mom and dad will probably send him to bed soon, it's getting late."

"And that," Jacen stage-whispered, "is why we won't tell mom and dad." He reached out his free hand and pulled her grudgingly to her feet. "So come on. Let's leave these old people to their fun."

She stared. "Uncle Jacen, you're mom's _twin_."

"Yes," he winked again, "but she's five minutes older."

Ben took her other hand and, Naviin stifling further laughter the whole way at the sneaking and the silliness, she allowed herself to be led from the chamber by her uncle, her cousin, and her brother. They even ducked into the shade of a Felucian pitcher plant when Han and Leia were strolling nearby; Leia, of course, sensed their presences immediately, but Jacen put a discreet finger to his lips and waved her on before she spoiled Naviin's fun at creeping around unnoticed.

After another minute of working their way to the grand double-doors that opened up into the outer corridor, judging the best moment to sneak past a gap in the foliage cover around the outer part of the Garden Level, they hurried through the doors and even Jacen was laughing softly at the ridiculousness of the picture of them, a grown man, two teenagers, and a toddler, sneaking out past the 'adults.'

They made it two steps down the corridor, heading towards the turbolift that would take them down to the levels with the kitchens, when a voice made them all jump.

"Well don't the four of you look like you're up to no good?"

Leyla whirled at the familiar voice, and Jacen chuckled ruefully. "Well, if it isn't the hero of Corellia; how are you, Vulcor?"

The sandy-haired Jedi held up his hands. "Who's heroic? The problem worked itself out when Sal-Solo became suspiciously cooperative." Leyla bit back a sly grin. "Anyway, I'm beat, we just got in. Thought I'd crash your little get-together for a few minutes to see how you're doing." He said this in a general sense, to all of them, but Leyla could easily sense that he really meant how _she_ was doing.

"Why don't you guys go ahead?" she said slowly to Jacen and Ben. "I'll head off my mother when she starts getting suspicious."

Jacen stuck his tongue out very childishly- Naviin, of course, immediately imitated him- and turned to lead the way down the corridor once more. Ben shot Leyla a glance, but she smiled and waved him on, and he trailed after Jacen. "Nothing too sugary!" Leyla hollered after them, shaking her head in resignation when Jacen became suspiciously deaf and failed to acknowledge her request.

"Late night snack?" Vulcor asked.

"Just Jacen, fulfilling his promised role of impish uncle," she assured him. For a moment, they stood there in the hallway, unmoving and unspeaking, until she flushed a bit under his searching gaze and turned back towards the door to the Garden Level. "I guess we should make sure they're all behaving themselves," she half-joked.

She led the way back inside, and the two meandered a bit around the outer edge of the level. On the side with windows overlooking the most scenic swath of temple grounds, they found Jaina and Jag, his arm around her as they looked out over the night. As they approached, Jag leaned over and whispered something in Jaina's ear, and she giggled like a girl out on a first date. Leyla, of course, cringed slightly and cleared her throat loudly.

"Do you two need a chaperone?"

Jaina turned, eyed the two of them, giggled again, and then sobered herself with effort, though her eyes continued dancing in some unknown amusement. "_We_ are married and are allowed to be as cute and carefree as we please." Jag cocked a brow and gave her a sidelong, skeptical glance at the words 'cute' and 'carefree.' "Though we do seem to have lost our four-year-old son, so perhaps we're being a shade _too_ carefree…"

"Jacen's corrupting him," Leyla assured her dryly. "No worries."

She pursed her lips. "Hm, I'm sure. Well whenever his troublesome uncle has thoroughly succeeded in the attempt, can you direct him our way? I think it's well beyond Navi's bedtime."

"Ben and I can take him," Leyla offered, "I think we've, uh… overstayed our purpose here…" she glanced meaningfully at her parents' forms, closely snuggled together, and then over towards where Kyp and Gennevi were dancing in slow steps, cheeks together, hands clasped. "We'll go up to my room, you can snag him on your way home."

"Once Jacen finishes corrupting him?"

"Of course," Leyla conceded.

Her mother looked like she wanted to say something else, but Jag leaned in, whispered his thanks to Leyla, and pulled her around and away, ignoring Jaina's obligatory noises of protest. Leyla just shook her head as she watched them go, like two misbehaving school children.

"So how _have_ you been?" Vulcor's voice pulled her out of her wry thoughts, and she blinked up at him for a moment, dragging her mind back to the moment.

"I- good," she stammered. "Better," she amended. "Being here, if only for a few weeks, is doing wonders, really. Dad and I have been going pretty non-stop for the better part of six or seven months, and Ossus is very… relaxing. Cold though, all Navi ever wants to do is play in the snow."

Vulcor smiled. "I thought I was on the wrong planet for a minute when we were setting down. Your brother should enjoy it while he can; I've been here for…" he thought a moment, "seven of the past nine winters, I think, and we've not had this much on the ground at once in all that time." They eventually worked their way in companionable silence back around to the bench where she had sat with Ben just a quarter-hour earlier. As they sat down though, Leyla could sense the reluctant question coming to the front of his mind, and she silently nudged him to just ask it.

He sighed. "Look, I just wanted to make sure that you're doing okay in the… emotional sense. When we last talked, you were… pretty distraught."

Letting out a slow  
>breath, she sat back and stared broodingly at the towering plant that sat five meters in front of them, before attempting a weak smile that probably wasn't very convincing. "I'm fine, really. I mean, I'm still pretty shaken, but I talked to Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara and…" she shrugged helplessly. "I guess I just try not to think about it too much."<p>

He seemed to accept that, albeit a bit reluctantly. "How long are you and Master Durron staying on Ossus?"

"Another ten days before we ship off to Coruscant."

Out of the corner of her eye, Leyla saw the door open once more as Vulcor got slowly to his feet by her side. "I'm going to fall asleep here if I don't go to bed soon," he admitted. "But when I'm more conscious…" he trailed away, thought, and then rephrased. "If you'd ever like to talk, before you head out again… come and find me."

She grinned. "But only after you're sufficiently recovered?"

"Something like that," he conceded ruefully. Clasping her shoulder and squeezing it once, lightly, he started to turn away before he remembered something and spun back. "Oh, I almost forgot- Corporal Jankow sends his greetings and well-wishes to you."

It was said with perfectly offhanded casual nonchalance, but her face exploded into an embarrassed blush anyway- which was all the more unfortunate because Jacen and Ben joined their little group seconds later, and their eyebrows shot up at the look of flushed chagrin on her face. Vulcor nodded his goodnight to them all, seemingly unaware of her sudden self-consciousness, given his own tiredness, and headed to the door to go up to his quarters.

He was also seemingly unaware of the highly suspicious looks that both Ben and Jacen shot at his retreating figure.

Happily, any questions regarding the matter were put aside by the sudden arrival of Jaina and Jag. Jaina narrowed her eyes at her twin brother and crossed her arms, while Jag hovered behind her, generally trying to look stern, and epically failing at doing so.

"Are you giving my son _more_ sweets tonight?" she accused.

Jacen spread his arms and shook his head, eyes wide and innocent. "Of course not, we were just taking a walk and stretching our…" he paused as Naviin tugged on his hand, little face alight with worry and, frowning, Jacen crouched down and let his nephew murmur softly into his ear. Then, attempting to suppress his own amusement, Jacen stood straight again and carefully schooled his expression.

"My apologies; Navi informs me that lying is bad and that daddy says that it is _especially _bad to lie to mommy because she'll know and daddy will be sorry later." Jag burst out laughing; Jaina stepped on his foot.

"You _bet_ you'll be sorry tonight," she grumbled under her breath, though the mischievous amusement was shining in her eyes. She bent down and picked up Naviin, and he wrapped his arms around her neck and leaned his head against her shoulder. "You tired?" He nodded. "Well how about if you go with Leyla up to her room and take a little nap there, and daddy and I will take you home later. Sound good?"

He nodded and smiled brightly and, after Naviin received a kiss from Jag on top of his dark, tousle-haired head, Ben snagged the boy out of his mother's arms and carried him, laughing, towards the door again. Leyla followed close behind after hugging her parents and uncle quickly.

Jaina gave Jacen an obligatory smack on the arm- and gave Jag a more discreet and no less obligatory smack somewhere else- and watched them go a bit wistfully. "How is it that she's practically grown up already? And Ben?" She sighed. "I miss it when they were both around Navi's age; they were such good friends."

"They still are," Jag observed softly.

"Yeah, but they hardly see each other." She shrugged and glanced at her brother. "You going somewhere?"

He nodded his head towards the great window that overlooked the grounds. "Thought I'd take a walk."

"Want to sleep on our sofa tonight?"

"Sure."

When he was gone, Jag shot a skeptical glance at his wife. "Not that I'm objecting or anything, but aren't there at least a dozen empty rooms here in the temple?"

She grinned wickedly. "Sure; but it'll be so much harder getting my revenge by having Navi jump on him to wake him up at oh-five-hundred if he's up here, now won't it?"

Jag offered his arm and she linked hers through, allowing herself to be guided back over to a table where Kyp and Gennevi were sitting talking with Luke and Mara. "Never let it be said that you don't have a keen mind for vengeance." He stopped walking and spun her to face him, leaning over to kiss her deeply before murmuring in her ear, "I wholly approve."

X-X-X-X

"Tell me a story."

Leyla and Ben exchanged a calculating glance, and then eyed Naviin steadily. "Aren't you getting a little old for bedtime stories?"

"No," he said with incredulous confusion.

Ben just chuckled wryly. "Alright, a story it is then. Let's see…" he cupped his chin thoughtfully and stared at the wall, considering. "There were two Jedi- partners- with a very important mission, a top-secret mission given to them by the head of the whole Masters' Council…"

"What were their names?" Naviin asked impatiently.

Ben looked briefly taken aback at Naviin's demanding method of hearing a bedtime story, but Leyla was resigned from dozens of nights of practice. "Lara and Leni," she decided after a moment's pause. "And they were great friends, they grew up in the Jedi temple together…"

"So when they were knighted," Ben picked up, "it was only natural that they work together to solve all the galaxy's problems, and they made a great team. But _then_, they were given a _particularly _tricky mission. There was this other Jedi, see, who was a _great_ Jedi, and he was due to become a Jedi _Master_…"

"But," Leyla continued somberly, "he didn't think he was worthy of so great an honor."

Naviin blinked. "Why?"

There was a panicked silence while Ben tried to come up with a plausible response. "Well… Lara and Leni weren't really sure. That was part of their mission, see, to learn why the Jedi- Deklen- had run away from the temple on Coruscant. And the other part was to find him and bring him back."

"But they disagreed on how to go about completing this great quest," Leyla picked up. "Because… well, Leni was very… nitpicky and detail-oriented, and he insisted that they spend days and days planning and researching…"

"But Lara was a _hopeless_ romantic…"

"Ew," Naviin scowled.

Ben grinned. "I know, right? And she wanted to just jump in to all kinds of _crazy_ situations without thinking them through first. But Leni and Lara managed to compromise, and decided that they'd just have to set off looking for Deklen, and worry about figuring out his problem on the way."

"And they tracked him to the dangerous jungles of… er… Falleen."

Naviin yawned and his hazel eyes were starting to drift closed, though a bit of excitement shone in them at the mention of 'dangerous jungles.' "Apprentice Zaatir is a falleen…" he murmured sleepily.

The cousins exchanged an amused glance. "Yes, he is," Leyla acknowledged, standing carefully and crossing to the lighting control panel and dimming the lights in the room to encourage her sleepy brother to doze off. "And they found Deklen there, but he was being attacked by… an arqet, and a whole pack of gdans!"

"And a nexu?" Naviin mumbled, struggling to even move his lips.

Leyla smiled. "Yes," she whispered, "of course. A story wouldn't be a story without a nexu, would it?" His little head shook slightly from side to side on the pillow, but she knew he was too far gone now to object if they left off there. Leaning forward, she kissed him on the cheek. "Goodnight, Navi; we'll tell you the rest tomorrow."

He was already asleep, chest rising and falling rhythmically, small form dwarfed by her huge blankets. Leyla snagged another blanket from the wardrobe and draped it around her shoulders to ward off the winter chill that permeated the stone walls, and she sat at the foot of the bed, facing Ben who was perched in the chair at the desk.

"He's a good kid," Ben said fondly.

Leyla glanced again over at her little brother. "He is, isn't he?"

"Hm," he nodded, yawned once, and then fixed his cousin with a steady gaze. "Now- the conversation we're _really_ here to have." She cocked a brow in confusion. "Tell me more about this fighter jock…"

And with a groan, her head hit the cold stone wall with a muffled _thump_.

X-X-X-X

Maybe it was the intoxicating party atmosphere, or maybe it was just pure intoxication from copious amounts of gizer's, but Kyp was feeling particularly good at the moment. Leyla and Ben had made their exit, a yawning Naviin perfectly content in Ben's arms. He looked around at those guests still left in the garden. Jacen had disappeared shortly before Ben and Leyla had taken Naviin to her room, so now it was just the 'adults.' Luke and Leia conversed quietly by the food table while Han, Mara, Jaina and Jag stood a few feet away laughing loudly while Han told some sort of story that was no doubt embellished in the ways that only a Corellian could achieve. He wondered where Gennevi had wandered off to when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his middle.

"I wondered where you had disappeared to."

"Exploring," Gennevi offered. "It's been so long since I've been around living, breathing plants; I just wanted to take it all in."

"It's a beautiful sight," Kyp turned in her embrace and wrapped his own arms around her smaller frame. "The gardens aren't bad either."

Gennevi smirked and shook her head. "Maybe I should keep some gizer's around all the time. I like what it does to you."

Kyp dropped his head until his lips brushed her ear. "And how about what I do to you? Do you like that too?"

Gennevi was able to fight back the blush that rose up her neck. "You are terrible."

"You love me for it," he joked. "Dance with me?"

Gennevi quirked an eyebrow. "No one else is dancing."

"When has that ever stopped you before?" Rather than wait for her answer, Kyp took her hand and pulled her into one of the larger clearings. He spun her gracefully into his arms and began swaying smoothly to the music. Gennevi relaxed in his embrace, their fingers woven together, her head resting against his chest as their bodies moved to the rhythm of the soft music.

It took only a few moments for Luke and Mara to follow their example, the redhead giggling like a padawan as her husband spun her around and dipped her backward. Not to be outdone, Han and Leia also found their way to the makeshift dance floor, beginning a rather elegant and showy Coruscanti two-step. Their faces were perfect masks of regal discipline, but their eyes sparkled with mischief and amusement. Jaina stood on the sidelines, Jag's arm wrapped comfortably around her waist, laughing at her parents and aunt and uncle's antics. They may have been well into their sixties, or already well into their seventies in her father's case, but sometimes—hells, _most_ of the time—they behaved like her teenage daughter.

"I'm starting to feel a little left out," Jag pouted playfully. Clearly the ale was having an effect on his normally reserved bearing.

Jaina quirked an eyebrow at her husband. "I thought Ambassador Jagged Fel didn't dance?" she asked sardonically.

Jag rolled his eyes in a very un-Jag like fashion and tugged on her hand. "He didn't. But Jagged Fel, father and galaxy's greatest husband, does." Jaina laughed as she too was pulled onto the dance floor and spun around, much like her mother and aunt.

Gennevi looked on as the other couples laughed and joked with one another, switching partners at random intervals and attempting to one-up each other with elaborate dance moves. Han dipped Mara to the point where her long braid was nearly touching the floor while Luke and Jaina, and Jag and Leia looked on in delight.

"Scoundrel," Leia laughed.

Han winked at her. "Don't forget scruffy-looking."

Gennevi laughed softly looking back to Kyp. She noticed the somber and distant look in his eyes, and it immediately set her on edge. "Kyp? What's wrong?"

"Hmmm? Oh nothing." He snapped back to reality.

"Nothing? You looked to be a thousand light years away. What's on your mind?"

Kyp took a deep breath and pulled Gennevi a few steps away from the crowd to a small alcove, partially hidden by the large, orange leaves of a Zsajhira fern plant. "There's something that I want to tell you," he whispered.

Gennevi nodded for him to continue, swallowing the quickly forming lump in her throat.

"You know I've enjoyed these last few weeks with you…and I know we'll be going our separate ways soon. I have no idea how long Leyla will be my apprentice; it could be a few months or a few years, only time will tell. And I have no idea when we will be on the same side of the universe again. It will be difficult, I'm not going to lie about that. But Gennevi," he raised her chin until their eyes met, "I promise that we will be together again. I'm not going to let you slip out of my life and do you know why?"

"Why?' she asked, the emotion in her voice clearly evident despite her best efforts to conceal it.

"Because, Force help me, I'm falling in love with you, Gennevi Lassiter." Kyp offered her a charming smile which she returned in kind.

"Kyp-"

"And now you have two options," he grinned. "One, you can tell me that you love me as well and we can pour out our emotions right here, draw the attention of everyone else, and have to explain ourselves which would lead to some rather…awkward moments. Or…you can kiss me."

Rather than voice the sarcastic quip that sat on the tip of her tongue, Gennevi took Kyp's face between her hands and pressed their lips together in a kiss that conveyed just how happy she was to hear him say those words.

X-X-X-X

It was Leia that first noticed that Kyp and Gennevi had disappeared. Her eyes darted around the small gathering as her son-in-law spun her around, in a vain attempt to locate the guest of honor and his… girlfriend. That would definitely take some getting used to.

"Han. Han!"

"Yes, Your Worshipfulness?"

Leia stopped herself from rolling her eyes at the amount of sarcasm that was applied to the title. "Did you see where Kyp and Gennevi disappeared to?"

Han glanced around and grinned ferociously. "I can think of a few places. I'm sure he's _eager_ for some alone time before the separation."

Jaina slapped her father on the arm playfully. "Not that they don't deserve it, but he is the guest of honor. He should be around for his own celebration."

"Oh I'm sure he's still _celebrating_," Han's partner laughed.

"Aunt Mara!" Jaina groaned.

Han volunteered to find the pair, and after promising Leia that he would not embarrass them in any way, set off through the vast jungle of the Garden Level to locate the wayward lovers. It didn't take long to find them, hidden away behind some rather intimidating plants. He would have called out to them, but he knew they wouldn't answer since their mouths were…otherwise occupied.

"You know, I didn't believe Mara when she said the two of you were like a pair of lepi," he laughed. "I think she's right though." His attempt at humor went unnoticed by the pair. Han shuffled his feet awkwardly, looking anywhere but at the couple in front of him.

"Kid, you gotta come up for air at some point."

Still there was no reaction. Just as Han was preparing to put a physical barrier between their sealed lips, a short chuckle sounded behind him, drawing his attention away.

"What are you laughing at?"

Jaina shook her head bemusedly. "What did we talk about earlier?" At her father's questioning gaze, she elaborated. "About you calling Kyp 'kid.' He's fifty, dad. He's not a kid anymore."

"He'll always be a kid to me."

Jaina peered over her shoulder where Luke and Mara were dancing, their bodies and minds completely in sync with one another. "Kind of like Uncle Luke?"

"Exactly," Han smiled. "He's the original 'kid' and I'll be calling him that until he's old and grey…or I guess _older_ and _greyer_." He laughed softly. "Just like you'll always be my princess." He wrapped and arm around Jaina's shoulders and kissed her temple. "What d'you say we give these two love birds here some privacy and go find your mother and Jag. That husband of yours owes me some money. Can you believe he bet against the _Dreadnaughts_?"

Jaina just shook her head and allowed Han to lead her back toward the party. She threw a parting glance over her shoulder to where Kyp and Gennevi were still wrapped up in one another, and let a grin spread across her face. She could feel the happiness radiating off both of them, but it was the strong emotions coming from Kyp that she focused on. It was a rare occasion for Kyp to feel such unbridled sense of joy and Jaina blissfully let it wash over her. She was glad that he had finally allowed himself this sort of happiness. It had been a long time coming and something that had been denied him—mostly through his own self-sacrificing ways—for far too long.

Neither their presence nor their departure were noticed or missed by Kyp and Gennevi. Neither of them was aware of anything outside of each other. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, Kyp's right hand cupped her cheek while his left rested on her hip; both of Gennevi's hands had found their way around Kyp's body, resting against the strong panes of his back. Their emotions—the hopes as well as the doubts they held for the future, and the strong sense of love they both felt—surrounded them. They were lost in one another and blissfully unaware of their surroundings. The universe could implode and they would never be the wiser. At this moment, all they needed was each other.

And this time, there would be no interruption.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh wow I can't beleive this is over. A special thanks goes out to all of the readers (especially those who reviewed). And if you found yourself as captivated by the characters as I am, be on the look out for Lexi's next fic (if you message her and bug her to write, she really loves it ;)<strong>


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